Douglas L. Smith, Councilman

Doug Smith became a member of Portsmouth City Council on June 30, 2006. The facilitation and coordination skills Doug Smith has developed in both the public and private sectors make him uniquely qualified to help guide Portsmouth as a member of City Council. Doug is currently Vice President and Director of Public Private Development Services for Kaufman & Canoles Consulting. Prior to joining Kaufman & Canoles Consulting, Doug served as Deputy City Manager for the City of Portsmouth.

Doug worked as the Economic Development Director of Portsmouth for three of his six years with the City. During those three years he actively recruited new jobs and investment, the City announced 2,842 new jobs and investments of $246,968,370. As our former Deputy City Manager, Doug helped raise nearly $8.1 million of federal grants for the Ocean Marine project, the Victory Crossing Business Park, and the Victory Crossing Shopping Center. Doug also recognized the value of existing businesses as he started a Business Retention and Expansion program for Portsmouth.

As Deputy City Manager, Mr. Smith was responsible for the City's departments of Economic Development, Tourism, Golf, Museums, and Planning. While in Portsmouth, Mr. Smith served as a staff liaison or ex-officio member of a number of Boards and Commissions including: the Portsmouth Partnership, the Portsmouth Industrial Development Authority, The Portsmouth Port and Industrial Commission, The Portsmouth Planning Commission, the Hampton Roads Economic Development Alliance, Ports Events, and The Museum Fine Arts Commission.

Before working for the City of Portsmouth, Doug spent 12 years with First Union Corporation managing branch networks in North Carolina, Georgia and Virginia. During his time with First Union in Virginia, Doug served as a Commissioner on the Portsmouth Industrial Development Authority and Portsmouth Port and Industrial Commission. He is an active member of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and currently serves as immediate past Chairman of the ULI Hampton Roads District Council.

City Council has appointed Doug to represent the Council to the following organizations:

Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (Executive Committee)
Municipal Finance Commission
Planning Commission

A native of Portsmouth, Doug Smith is a graduate of the University of Virginia. He and his wife Linda are raising their two children in the same Portsmouth house where he was raised.