Paul Smith

The epitome of a servant leader

Paul Smith left an indelible mark on newspaper publishing in Arkansas. He devoted 50 years to not just newspapering but to one company.

When he began his career in the 1960s, most newspapers were owned by families. Today, many are owned by large publicly owned companies or private equity or hedge funds. Largely due to the role Paul Smith played, Arkansas’ largest newspaper is still both locally and family owned, with a deep commitment to journalism.

Paul’s success was due to natural talent, great business judgment, and the ability to engender both loyalty and dedication of the competent people he hired. He set high standards, and those who worked with him tried to meet or exceed them.

But another part of his success was due to his always placing the interest of readers, advertisers, and employees first.

His humility exemplified the best of a servant leader, and much of that came from his deep and abiding faith and the lessons he learned from it.

For those who did not work with him but knew him in the community, he was gentle, kind and compassionate.

Growing up on a farm in south Arkansas, he knew of hard work, and he had a love of the land. He lived his dream of having property in the country, raising horses. If those animals could speak, they would no doubt tell you they saw the same endearing demeanor that all his friends admired.

Whether it was mentoring a young man in Big Brothers Big Sisters or a homeless man he and his wife took in on a trip to Dallas, so many people benefited from Paul living his Christian faith.

For all who knew him, and many who didn’t, his work and commitment left Little Rock and Arkansas a far better place.