Smith attended the University of Illinois before joining the Air Force in 1985. While in the service he was trained as a Russian linguist. Smith left the Air Force in 1992 and returned to Illinois. He served as village trustee for Garrett from 1993 to 1994. In 1996, Smith and his family relocated to Oregon. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in accounting from Oregon State University in 1999. Smith went on to graduate from Willamette University with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in 2000. He lives in Corvallis with his wife and children; he is currently an employee of Hewlett-Packard. Smith filed papers with the Federal Election Commission in March 2006, making him an official candidate for the 2008 presidential election. He formally announced his run for office on Saturday, May 20, 2006, at a fund-raising dance in Corvallis.