Mary Lilly Smith

Mary Lilly Smith’s is certainly near the top.

As the city’s economic development director, Smith’s work can be seen in everything from Jordan Valley Park, for which she helped secure facility funding, to the downtown community improvement district that she helped to create, to the College Station and Heer’s redevelopment projects of which she has represented the city.

“My career has been built around community development,” Smith said. “Community development is an incremental process – some projects I’ve worked on take years to reap the benefits.”

Her influence in city development, however, began long before she became the head of the city’s economic development eight years ago.

Smith, a graduate of Missouri State University with a degree in urban and regional planning, has worked for the city for 24 years, including a stint as principal planner in the Neighborhood Conservation Office. There, she helped create the city’s first urban conservation districts and the city’s Capital Improvements Program, which spells out long-range plans for infrastructure improvement.

“I’m probably fondest of my first major project at the city – creation of the Walnut Street Urban Conservation District,” Smith said. “Without that project, I am sure that many of those structures would have been demolished and a piece of history lost.”

She doesn’t do it alone, though. Smith manages a staff of six “talented and dedicated economic development professionals” in her city office. She knows when to sit back and rely on their expertise and knowledge to get the job done.

“I believe that people will do their best and succeed when they are given the opportunity and authority to do so. I try to provide a framework and then get out of the way so that staff can be creative and solve problems.”

Her influence continues outside the office. She serves on the boards of the Downtown Springfield CID and the Missouri Economic Development Finance Association. She’s also a member of Junior League of Springfield.

Overall, Smith says she’s proud of what she’s accomplished – and of what’s still to come.

“Some of the projects I’m involved in now are extremely complex and will make my list of proudest accomplishments when the grand-opening ribbon is cut,” she said.

“Learning to be patient has been a big accomplishment for me.”

Personally speaking

What book are you reading now?

“Curse of the Narrows,” by Laura Mac Donald. It’s an account of the 1917 collision of a munitions ship and another boat in the Halifax Harbor that killed more than 2,000 and triggered a tsunami devastating much of Halifax and Dartmouth. I love true accounts of heroism during times of disasters.

Besides your parents, who do you consider a mentor or role model?

I have always considered Fred May to be my professional mentor. Fred first hired me at the city of Springfield. He led the Planning Department by example and was always thinking long-term and encouraging us to do what was right for the community.

If you could go back in time, what one person would you most like to meet?

I've always been intrigued by Queen Elizabeth. She had to be very cunning in order to survive and ascend to the throne, and she was such a strong ruler at a time when women were not supposed to be in positions of power.

If you had an entire day without any scheduled obligations, how would you spend it?

If I could be transported anywhere for the day I would take a walk in Glacier National Park. If I were in Springfield, I would probably work on my photo albums. I am about six years behind.