Rear Admiral Robert Smith III, USN (Ret.)

Robert Smith III received his bachelor of science degree in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University in 1961 and is a graduate of the School of Banking of the South at Louisiana State University. He also attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, completing studies in national and international security. Admiral Smith was selected and attended the United States Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island, and completed the junior and senior level command and staff courses. He participated in numerous other assignments in both the Pacific and Atlantic Fleets, including assignments on the Navy Staff in Washington, D.C. Admiral Smith was selected a Rear Admiral (lower half) in December 1987 and earned his second star in June 1991. He retired from the Navy on November 1, 1996 as chief of staff to Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii following almost 35 years of continuous service. Mr. Smith was employed by the Federal Reserve Bank in 1968 and worked in the Research, Loan, and Bank Services departments prior to his promotion to Public Information Officer and Assistant Secretary of the Board on January 1, 1971. He was promoted to Assistant Vice President on January 1, 1974, and to Senior Vice President on January 1, 1987 until April, 2011.