David Smartt
Grad Year: 1978
Came to Lee from: Jacksonville, Florida
Occupation: Lee business professor
David Smartt first came to Lee as a freshman from Jacksonville in 1974. By 1982, he had married, finished his Lee degree, served as an assistant pastor and Christian school administrator, earned an MDiv at the Church of God’s Pentecostal Theological Seminary, and become an Army Chaplain. In 2012, he joined Lee’s Department of Business (now School of Business), where he teaches Principles of Management, Organizational Behavior, and Business Ethics, as well as Organizational Theory for the graduate program (MBA).
For the 29+ years between, he was on active duty as chaplain in the Army, where he achieved the rank of Colonel. Among his many duties, Smartt served at the Pentagon as director of resource management on the staff of the Army Chief of Chaplains. He completed his active duty service as the 38th Commandant of the U.S. Army Chaplain Center and School, the Army’s training base for Chaplains and Religious Affairs Specialists.
David is also an ordained bishop in the Church of God. He earned an MS in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College, an MBA from Syracuse University, and a PhD in Management from Northcentral University.
Now at Lee, his mission is to instill wisdom, experience, skills, and discipline into our young business students preparing for careers, while caring for their total well-being. As a veteran chaplain, he knows the eternal fruit of a life well-lived is even more important than a job well done.
He says of his work, “Any light that I might bring to those around me is merely a reflection of the Light of the World, Christ in me. I endeavor to be a light of God’s grace before my students and the community.”