Van Smith, resident of Billingsley, was appointed to CAEC’s Board of Trustees in May 1994. He served as the Vice-Chairman from  August 2018-2021, and Board Chairman from 2021-2024. Smith has earned his Credentialed Cooperative Director and Board Leadership certificates as well as the Director Gold certificate awarded by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. Smith and spouse (Fran), along with the other CAEC Trustees, serves on the only Board in the nation to be 100 percent Board member commitment at the Leadership Circle level and at the President’s Club level to the nonpartisan political action committee, known as PAC. Smith currently serves on the Board of Central Access, Inc., the broadband subsidiary of CAEC.

Before joining the CAEC Board, he and his late wife, Ann, represented CAEC at the Alabama Council of Cooperative’s Annual Co-op Couples Conference and served as the host couple the following year. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agri-Science Education from Auburn University, a Master’s degree in Agri-Science Education from Alabama A&M and a K-12 Certification in Administrative Education from the University of Montevallo.

Smith taught Agri-Science for 13 years and served as assistant principal of Billingsley School for eight years before becoming principal in 1998, a position he held until his retirement in 2013. He has been active in many professional and civic groups. Smith serves on the board of the Autauga County Cattlemen’s Association; he served as president for four years and as a current board member of the Alabama Farmer’s Federation and currently serves as the County President. He worked with the National FFA Livestock Evaluation Career Development Event committee for 34 years and served as the committee Superintendent from 2008-2014. He has also served as Superintendent of the Autauga Agribition Livestock Show for the past 26 years. Smith is a member of the Southeastern Livestock Exposition where he serves on the Junior Livestock Exposition Rules committee.

He was appointed by the Governor in 2014 to fill the unexpired term of A.G. Carter as the District 3 Autauga County Commissioner and was elected to serve a four-year term in 2016. Smith was elected to represent Alabama State House District 42 in 2019. The seat represents Autauga and Chilton counties and was left vacant after the passing of Rep. Jimmy Martin. He was re-elected for a four-year term in 2022. He now serves on the following committees: Education Policy and Procedures, Forestry and Agriculture and Transportation Utilities and Infrastructure. Smith currently serves as the vice chairman of the Transportation Utilities and Infrastructure Committee; he is also a member of the State Energy Council and the Transportation Infrastructure Bank.

Smith and his family have been members of CAEC since 1980. He has three sons, one stepson, one daughter and eleven grandchildren. Smith and his wife, Fran, are active members of Indian Grave Baptist Church where he serves as the chairman of the deacons.