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1939-2015
James C. Smith
On 20 April 2015, the National Academy of Construction lost one of its early academic members, Dr. James C. Smith, at the age of 75. Jim passed peacefully in College Station, Texas in the company of his loving family. Family and friends celebrated his life at a memorial service at Christ United Methodist Church, and he was interred at the “Aggie Field of Honor” with full military honors. This relatively new cemetery is located adjacent to Texas A & M University. Jim was inducted into the National Academy of Construction in 2006.
Jim married Sondra Lord in 1961 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It was here that this loving couple began their 54-year adventure together. Jim and Sondra were long-time members, and active supporters, of Christ United Methodist Church in College Station, Texas. Jim was active in Sunday School classes and served on various committees, including the active planning facilities committee. Regardless of his demanding schedule, he loved to spend time with his family teaching life skills and coaching youth sports teams. He was an avid fisherman and passed that love on to his entire family. Nothing brought more joy to him than spending endless hours with his grandchildren and great granddaughter. In addition, he was a zealous supporter of all Texas A&M University athletics and arts programs. All in all, Jim left a spectacular legacy for a simple builder’s son from the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He is survived by his wife Sondra, four children, Chuck, Scott, Randy and Jennifer, ten grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He is also survived by four siblings, Richard, Bill, Craig, and Susan.
Jim Smith graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1961 and was commissioned in the United States Army Corps of Engineers as a 2nd Lieutenant. He attended Texas A&M University during 1970 and again in 1976, earning his Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Civil Engineering. Jim served our country for almost forty years; with twenty-six years as an officer in the United States Army and over ten years with the United States Senate. His career took the family across the country. From 1962 to 1975, Jim oversaw building projecting supporting the armed forces in Japan and Viet Nam. In Jim’s 26 years of military service, he served two tours of duty in Viet Nam; attended the Army and Air Force War Colleges and ended his active military career as a Lieutenant Colonel serving in the Military District of Washington, DC. Jim Smith was the recipient of many awards and commendations including the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and multiple awards of the Air Medal. He was a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.
Upon completion of his active military career, Jim Smith continued his service to the nation as a Professional Staff member of the United States Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington DC (1975 - 1985). In 1978, he was given the additional responsibility of handling the annual authorization bill for the Department of Energy’s Defense Programs, which involved research, development, testing, production, and surveillance of nuclear weapons. The bill for fiscal year 1978 authorized $6.4 billion for these programs. Senator John Stennis, then Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, recruited him to manage the annual Department of Defense Military Construction bill for that fiscal year; this construction bill authorized $9.3 billion for more than 7,000 projects at 1,500 locations around the world.
In 1980, Jim was asked by the Committee Chairman, Senator John Tower, to remain with the Committee’s majority staff and take on the additional responsibility of managing most of the research, development and procurement programs of the Army, as well as the intelligence programs for the Department of Defense and the CIA.
Committee staff duties involved the ability to interact with Members of Congress and Defense officials at a high level, and to make rapid judgments in the form of advice, both verbally and in writing, to Members of the Committee. His duties also involved the ability to conduct and manage research and investigations, to prepare for hearings and committee markup sessions, to support Committee Chairmen in conducting floor debate, and to prepare legislation and reports on legislation.
For a decade, Jim managed all military construction budgets and authored significant legislation critical to our nation’s security. On two occasions, he was personally invited to participate in presidential signing ceremonies to recognize his efforts.
Jim departed government service and entered the private sector in 1985. However, in 1988, based on his background in Defense Department infrastructure, Jim was nominated (by Senator Sam Nunn, then Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee) to serve on the first Department of Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission [BRAC I]. Jim was appointed by the Secretary of Defense as a member of the seven-person BRAC I. This Commission, following extensive public hearings, made recommendations to the Secretary on military base closures and realignments, which were adopted. In 1991, Jim was appointed to the second BRAC by President Bush; this presidential appointment required the advice and consent of the U. S. Senate.
He became the President of the Commercial Group of CRSS and was responsible for all of CRSS’ architecture, infrastructure, and PM/CM work. This was a position created by combining three CRSS groups ($300 million annual revenue with 1,200 personnel). As the President of the Infrastructure Group, he was responsible for all of CRSS’ public sector work—defense, transportation and water resources ($200 million annual revenue with 500 personnel).
During the following five years (1991-1996) Jim was Vice President of the Civil Business Unit of Brown and Root. As a part of the civil team, he was responsible for the acquisition of new business, the execution of infrastructure projects, and the design and construction of transportation, water resource and building projects worldwide. He was directly responsible for strategic planning, marketing, business development and related activities with annual revenue of $500 million and 2,500 employees, plus a backlog which went from $300 million in 1990 to over $800 million in 1995.
In 1996, Jim brought his years of construction and engineering experience to Texas A&M University where he served as a Professor and Department Head of the Construction Science Department. In this role, and through his exhaustive mentoring efforts, he left a legacy that continues to touch the lives of faculty, staff, students and former students.
Jim Smith was unique among University professors because of his successes in a very diverse set of careers (military, government service, design, construction, and academia) and this uniqueness contributed to his superb success as an educator. The career diversity made him an outstanding visionary. Jim was unique in being able to come from industry to be the chairman of a Construction Management program within a major University.
One of Jim’s first tasks was to create the Construction Industry Advisory Council (CIAC). CIAC was a group of leading builders who play a multifaceted, critical role in Texas A&M University’s construction education by advising department administrators and faculty about contemporary construction developments, connecting with students looking for jobs or internships at departmental career fairs, and providing financial support to the department. Since CIAC’s inception, builders have contributed more than $13 million to the department for student scholarships, professorships, and the renovation of Francis Hall. Over the years, Jim Smith’s creation has turned into the largest advisory group in the nation, with more than 160 member companies that are eager to hire Texas A&M University graduates.
Jim Smith was instrumental in creating a Peer 6 association of leader/managers from six University Construction Management Programs (ASU, Auburn, Colorado State University, Purdue, Texas A&M University and Virginia Tech University). This association of leader/managers met quarterly to discuss successes, failures, and new ideas. Group members also shared common activities, interests, and challenges; all of which enabled trust within the group to grow. This association challenged the concept that its mission was only teaching and producing graduates. It began marketing the concepts that the mission should also include research to create new knowledge for the industry. The association members promoted the concept that professors are dedicated to 40 percent teaching, 40 percent research, and 20 percent service to the industry. In addition, members shared ideas on fundraising, approval of new PhD programs, and moving departments up to school levels. CM education was behind the construction engineering academic discipline in developing PhD graduate programs and accomplishing research. Jim was the leader who led the march in establishing PhD programs in CM. He organized and hosted the PhD in CM Academic Workshop at Texas A&M University. The larger CM programs participated and all began the process of seeking academic approvals for their own PhD degree programs.
The Peer 6 group had significant discussions on how to best rank construction programs and how to hire qualified faculties. Smith co-authored and published papers in 2006 titled
Ranking Construction Programs, let the academic debates begin, Profiling Faculty Candidates, the reality of unofficial rankings in recruiting, and Ranking Construction Faculty, continuous faculty improvement. Peer 6 discussed and developed papers on what quality CM programs should be and discussed strategies on how to move the 140 CM programs in that new direction. Peer 6 discussions were the main drivers in changing and improving the CM academic discipline.
In a continuing role to serve his academic discipline, Jim was active in the American Council of Construction Education (ACCE). This Council is the accrediting body for Construction and Construction Management Programs. It sets the standards, evaluates performances, and benchmarks academic programs. As a part of this Council, Jim chaired Visiting Teams at many universities, including Georgia Tech University, Kansas State University, and Indiana State University. He was selected to lead a team effort to study, re-engineer, and re-align ACCE procedures. After 40 years, this organization needed re-engineering to ensure it was aligned with its new vision and mission. Jim did a fantastic job and significantly improved the accreditation process.
In 2004, Dr. Jim Smith stepped down as Department Head, after which the department created the James C. Smith Endowed Professorship in Construction Science scholarship in his honor.
Jim Smith held the Harold L. Adams ‘61 Endowed Interdisciplinary Professorship in Construction Science and established a strong legacy as a professor and mentor for the next 11 years.
Dr. Smith challenged his students with complex and innovative assignments that left them well prepared for their professional careers. He devoted the preparation time, and performed the advanced planning necessary, to integrate multiple disciplines into a single class while placing assignments in a professional practice context. His excellence in the classroom was recognized in 2012 with the Association of Former Students’ Distinguished Achievement award for teaching. In an award nomination letter, a student wrote that “Dr. Jim Smith has shown complete dedication to the students in his class. It seems as if he is always in his office with students.”
“Jim Smith”, said Leslie Feigenbaum, “was a great man who treated everyone with sincere kindness and respect. He loved and lived the Texas A&M University core values of integrity, loyalty, leadership, respect, selfless service and excellence.”
Jim was cited numerous times for his love of fishing by his family, his faculty, and his students. Being a “fisherman” for Jim was not about catching fish, but its purpose was the bonding, being a role model, and sharing his philosophies with his grandchildren, the faculty, and students. Jim was truly a fisherman of people. As Dr. Cindy King, Associate Director of CII, said, “I had the honor to meet with Dr. Smith when I interviewed for an instructor opening in his program many years ago and I credit him with guiding me towards the path to pursue my PhD. I was not selected for the instructor position at that time – the committee ultimately selected a PhD candidate for the position. When I spoke with Jim after the selection decision, he offered me what turned out to be truly sage advice -- that I should consider pursuing a PhD. I know he would be pleased to know I have followed his guidance.”
“Jim was an iconic figure in construction industry professional practice as well as in construction higher education,” said Bob Segner, professor of construction science. “All of us in construction education owe him a debt of gratitude for all he did. Our sadness at his leaving us too soon is tempered by the certain knowledge that his legacy of accomplishment will carry on in his absence.”
Jim was a visionary educator and servant dedicated to sharing his vast experiences, the depth of his knowledge, and his insightful wisdom with students, faculty, and construction industry professionals. He balanced his love and devotion for his country, his family, and his profession.
-William W. Badger, 2015
Jim married Sondra Lord in 1961 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It was here that this loving couple began their 54-year adventure together. Jim and Sondra were long-time members, and active supporters, of Christ United Methodist Church in College Station, Texas. Jim was active in Sunday School classes and served on various committees, including the active planning facilities committee. Regardless of his demanding schedule, he loved to spend time with his family teaching life skills and coaching youth sports teams. He was an avid fisherman and passed that love on to his entire family. Nothing brought more joy to him than spending endless hours with his grandchildren and great granddaughter. In addition, he was a zealous supporter of all Texas A&M University athletics and arts programs. All in all, Jim left a spectacular legacy for a simple builder’s son from the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He is survived by his wife Sondra, four children, Chuck, Scott, Randy and Jennifer, ten grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He is also survived by four siblings, Richard, Bill, Craig, and Susan.
Jim Smith graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1961 and was commissioned in the United States Army Corps of Engineers as a 2nd Lieutenant. He attended Texas A&M University during 1970 and again in 1976, earning his Master’s and Doctorate degrees in Civil Engineering. Jim served our country for almost forty years; with twenty-six years as an officer in the United States Army and over ten years with the United States Senate. His career took the family across the country. From 1962 to 1975, Jim oversaw building projecting supporting the armed forces in Japan and Viet Nam. In Jim’s 26 years of military service, he served two tours of duty in Viet Nam; attended the Army and Air Force War Colleges and ended his active military career as a Lieutenant Colonel serving in the Military District of Washington, DC. Jim Smith was the recipient of many awards and commendations including the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and multiple awards of the Air Medal. He was a Registered Professional Engineer in the State of Texas.
Upon completion of his active military career, Jim Smith continued his service to the nation as a Professional Staff member of the United States Senate Armed Services Committee in Washington DC (1975 - 1985). In 1978, he was given the additional responsibility of handling the annual authorization bill for the Department of Energy’s Defense Programs, which involved research, development, testing, production, and surveillance of nuclear weapons. The bill for fiscal year 1978 authorized $6.4 billion for these programs. Senator John Stennis, then Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, recruited him to manage the annual Department of Defense Military Construction bill for that fiscal year; this construction bill authorized $9.3 billion for more than 7,000 projects at 1,500 locations around the world.
In 1980, Jim was asked by the Committee Chairman, Senator John Tower, to remain with the Committee’s majority staff and take on the additional responsibility of managing most of the research, development and procurement programs of the Army, as well as the intelligence programs for the Department of Defense and the CIA.
Committee staff duties involved the ability to interact with Members of Congress and Defense officials at a high level, and to make rapid judgments in the form of advice, both verbally and in writing, to Members of the Committee. His duties also involved the ability to conduct and manage research and investigations, to prepare for hearings and committee markup sessions, to support Committee Chairmen in conducting floor debate, and to prepare legislation and reports on legislation.
For a decade, Jim managed all military construction budgets and authored significant legislation critical to our nation’s security. On two occasions, he was personally invited to participate in presidential signing ceremonies to recognize his efforts.
Jim departed government service and entered the private sector in 1985. However, in 1988, based on his background in Defense Department infrastructure, Jim was nominated (by Senator Sam Nunn, then Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee) to serve on the first Department of Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission [BRAC I]. Jim was appointed by the Secretary of Defense as a member of the seven-person BRAC I. This Commission, following extensive public hearings, made recommendations to the Secretary on military base closures and realignments, which were adopted. In 1991, Jim was appointed to the second BRAC by President Bush; this presidential appointment required the advice and consent of the U. S. Senate.
He became the President of the Commercial Group of CRSS and was responsible for all of CRSS’ architecture, infrastructure, and PM/CM work. This was a position created by combining three CRSS groups ($300 million annual revenue with 1,200 personnel). As the President of the Infrastructure Group, he was responsible for all of CRSS’ public sector work—defense, transportation and water resources ($200 million annual revenue with 500 personnel).
During the following five years (1991-1996) Jim was Vice President of the Civil Business Unit of Brown and Root. As a part of the civil team, he was responsible for the acquisition of new business, the execution of infrastructure projects, and the design and construction of transportation, water resource and building projects worldwide. He was directly responsible for strategic planning, marketing, business development and related activities with annual revenue of $500 million and 2,500 employees, plus a backlog which went from $300 million in 1990 to over $800 million in 1995.
In 1996, Jim brought his years of construction and engineering experience to Texas A&M University where he served as a Professor and Department Head of the Construction Science Department. In this role, and through his exhaustive mentoring efforts, he left a legacy that continues to touch the lives of faculty, staff, students and former students.
Jim Smith was unique among University professors because of his successes in a very diverse set of careers (military, government service, design, construction, and academia) and this uniqueness contributed to his superb success as an educator. The career diversity made him an outstanding visionary. Jim was unique in being able to come from industry to be the chairman of a Construction Management program within a major University.
One of Jim’s first tasks was to create the Construction Industry Advisory Council (CIAC). CIAC was a group of leading builders who play a multifaceted, critical role in Texas A&M University’s construction education by advising department administrators and faculty about contemporary construction developments, connecting with students looking for jobs or internships at departmental career fairs, and providing financial support to the department. Since CIAC’s inception, builders have contributed more than $13 million to the department for student scholarships, professorships, and the renovation of Francis Hall. Over the years, Jim Smith’s creation has turned into the largest advisory group in the nation, with more than 160 member companies that are eager to hire Texas A&M University graduates.
Jim Smith was instrumental in creating a Peer 6 association of leader/managers from six University Construction Management Programs (ASU, Auburn, Colorado State University, Purdue, Texas A&M University and Virginia Tech University). This association of leader/managers met quarterly to discuss successes, failures, and new ideas. Group members also shared common activities, interests, and challenges; all of which enabled trust within the group to grow. This association challenged the concept that its mission was only teaching and producing graduates. It began marketing the concepts that the mission should also include research to create new knowledge for the industry. The association members promoted the concept that professors are dedicated to 40 percent teaching, 40 percent research, and 20 percent service to the industry. In addition, members shared ideas on fundraising, approval of new PhD programs, and moving departments up to school levels. CM education was behind the construction engineering academic discipline in developing PhD graduate programs and accomplishing research. Jim was the leader who led the march in establishing PhD programs in CM. He organized and hosted the PhD in CM Academic Workshop at Texas A&M University. The larger CM programs participated and all began the process of seeking academic approvals for their own PhD degree programs.
The Peer 6 group had significant discussions on how to best rank construction programs and how to hire qualified faculties. Smith co-authored and published papers in 2006 titled
Ranking Construction Programs, let the academic debates begin, Profiling Faculty Candidates, the reality of unofficial rankings in recruiting, and Ranking Construction Faculty, continuous faculty improvement. Peer 6 discussed and developed papers on what quality CM programs should be and discussed strategies on how to move the 140 CM programs in that new direction. Peer 6 discussions were the main drivers in changing and improving the CM academic discipline.
In a continuing role to serve his academic discipline, Jim was active in the American Council of Construction Education (ACCE). This Council is the accrediting body for Construction and Construction Management Programs. It sets the standards, evaluates performances, and benchmarks academic programs. As a part of this Council, Jim chaired Visiting Teams at many universities, including Georgia Tech University, Kansas State University, and Indiana State University. He was selected to lead a team effort to study, re-engineer, and re-align ACCE procedures. After 40 years, this organization needed re-engineering to ensure it was aligned with its new vision and mission. Jim did a fantastic job and significantly improved the accreditation process.
In 2004, Dr. Jim Smith stepped down as Department Head, after which the department created the James C. Smith Endowed Professorship in Construction Science scholarship in his honor.
Jim Smith held the Harold L. Adams ‘61 Endowed Interdisciplinary Professorship in Construction Science and established a strong legacy as a professor and mentor for the next 11 years.
Dr. Smith challenged his students with complex and innovative assignments that left them well prepared for their professional careers. He devoted the preparation time, and performed the advanced planning necessary, to integrate multiple disciplines into a single class while placing assignments in a professional practice context. His excellence in the classroom was recognized in 2012 with the Association of Former Students’ Distinguished Achievement award for teaching. In an award nomination letter, a student wrote that “Dr. Jim Smith has shown complete dedication to the students in his class. It seems as if he is always in his office with students.”
“Jim Smith”, said Leslie Feigenbaum, “was a great man who treated everyone with sincere kindness and respect. He loved and lived the Texas A&M University core values of integrity, loyalty, leadership, respect, selfless service and excellence.”
Jim was cited numerous times for his love of fishing by his family, his faculty, and his students. Being a “fisherman” for Jim was not about catching fish, but its purpose was the bonding, being a role model, and sharing his philosophies with his grandchildren, the faculty, and students. Jim was truly a fisherman of people. As Dr. Cindy King, Associate Director of CII, said, “I had the honor to meet with Dr. Smith when I interviewed for an instructor opening in his program many years ago and I credit him with guiding me towards the path to pursue my PhD. I was not selected for the instructor position at that time – the committee ultimately selected a PhD candidate for the position. When I spoke with Jim after the selection decision, he offered me what turned out to be truly sage advice -- that I should consider pursuing a PhD. I know he would be pleased to know I have followed his guidance.”
“Jim was an iconic figure in construction industry professional practice as well as in construction higher education,” said Bob Segner, professor of construction science. “All of us in construction education owe him a debt of gratitude for all he did. Our sadness at his leaving us too soon is tempered by the certain knowledge that his legacy of accomplishment will carry on in his absence.”
Jim was a visionary educator and servant dedicated to sharing his vast experiences, the depth of his knowledge, and his insightful wisdom with students, faculty, and construction industry professionals. He balanced his love and devotion for his country, his family, and his profession.
-William W. Badger, 2015
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