New Mexico State University

Floyd R. Smith

Floyd R. Smith, a native of San Francisco, California, began his career with Gulf States Utilities Company in 1935 after graduating from New Mexico State University. He held various positions in Navasota, Beaumont, Port Arthur, and Baton Rouge before being named Executive Vice President in September 1969. Just seven months later, Smith was elected President and Principal Executive Officer, and in 1973, he became Chairman of the Board, a position he held until his retirement in 1978.
Smith was recognized for his engineering contributions, being named Engineer of the Year by the Sabine Chapter of the Texas Engineering Society and honored as a distinguished alumnus of the College of Engineering at New Mexico State University. His community involvement included serving as campaign chairman for United Appeals in north Jefferson County in 1974, president in 1975, and chairman of the U.S. Savings Bond drive in 1976 and 1977. He was also a director of the Beaumont Chapter of the Red Cross for six years and served on the Chambers of Commerce in Baton Rouge, Port Arthur, and Beaumont.
Smith completed the public utility executive program at Georgia Tech in 1957 and the Harvard University advanced management program in 1962. He held leadership roles in various industry organizations, including serving as president of the Southwest Atomic Energy Associates, the Texas Atomic Energy Research Foundation, and the Southeastern Electric Exchange. Also, he was a director of the Edison Electric Institute, the Electric Energy Association, the Southeastern Electric Exchange, and the National Association of Electric Companies.