Russell Smith

Society Chair

Russell was educated in England. At the age of eighteen, he travelled to India for six months to work with Mother Theresa's Missionaries of Charity. Upon his return to the U.K., he attended Oxford University where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree.

In 1983, Russell joined the 10 year-old family business offering a management service to the business community. Over the next fourteen years, he and his brother (who jointly owned the company) grew their client base to annual revenues of $55 million with a workforce of 1,200. This success was achieved through having a clear focus on old-fashioned service made possible by the independence of his family business.

After Russell and his brother sold their company, Russell and his wife, Gillian, moved to Vancouver (Gillian’s hometown). When asked why he decided to move here, Russell explains that he fell in love with British Columbia on the annual family holiday and he and his wife decided that our city would be a great place to work and raise their children. They have five children together: three girls and two boys.

Russell is very active in the Vancouver community through a variety of activities:

- Board Member, Vancouver Opera Foundation
- Board Member, Health Arts Society
- Board Member, Elektra Women's Choir

In his spare time, Russell skis and plays tennis, golf and the piano.