Wallace Smith honored with national ACEC Community Service Award

Garver’s Director of Federal Services Wallace Smith, PE, has long been known for his engineering expertise, but his most enduring legacy may be the impact he’s made far beyond the workplace. At the 2025 Fall ACEC Conference on October 7 in San Diego, Smith was honored with the prestigious national ACEC Community Service Award — a recognition that reflects more than two decades of service and leadership across Central Arkansas.

For 26 years, Smith has been a pillar of his community, lending his time, talents, and heart to a wide range of organizations. From donning a Santa suit to bring joy to children in crisis to leading multimillion-dollar capital campaigns, his contributions are as varied as they are meaningful. He has served organizations such as Women and Children First, Goodness Village, and Mount St. Mary Academy, offering not just support but strategic leadership. His role in the planning and construction of the new $24 million Women and Children First Peace Center is a standout example. When the existing facility was deemed outdated, Smith spearheaded a capital campaign to build a new 60,000-square-foot center that will provide shelter, medical care, and legal assistance to women and children in need.

He’s also helping Goodness Village, an organization that offers affordable housing for patients and families during treatment, develop a new housing facility and has led master planning efforts for Mount St. Mary Academy’s campus improvements. He lent his engineering expertise to Our House, Holy Souls School, and other organizations, leaving a lasting physical imprint on the community. Smith’s leadership extends to boardrooms and advisory councils. At the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR), he serves on both the Leadership Council and Advisory Board, advocating for STEM education and helping shape the future of engineering programs. He’s also a board member and active volunteer for the Methodist Family Health Foundation, which provides mental health services for children across Arkansas who have been abandoned, neglected, and/or abused.

Smith’s commitment to youth is evident in his work with Junior Achievement, where he mentors high school students from underrepresented communities, introducing them to careers in engineering and helping them envision a brighter future. As a past commander and current officer of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9095, Smith has been a steadfast advocate for veterans. He’s organized golf tournaments, coordinated housing and bill assistance, and led ceremonies honoring those who served. His efforts have directly supported veterans receiving care at local VA hospitals and helped raise funds for new facilities.

Smith’s holiday spirit is legendary. For nearly 30 years, he’s played Santa Claus for Women and Children First, Open Arms Shelter, and Restoration of Hope, delivering gifts and necessities to children facing unimaginable hardships. He’s also volunteered with Arkansas Children’s Hospital, spending time with young cancer patients to offer comfort and distraction during treatment. His fundraising efforts span organizations like the Arkansas Alzheimer’s Association, Baptist Health, the American Red Cross, and the Arkansas Heart Association. Whether dancing in a charity competition or organizing blood drives, Smith is always ready to step up.

Smith’s community service is not just a list of accomplishments—it’s a testament to a life lived in service of others. His ability to combine professional expertise with real care for people has made him a trusted leader, a compassionate volunteer, and a force for good. The ACEC Community Service Award is a fitting tribute to Smith’s unwavering dedication. But for those who’ve worked alongside him, benefited from his efforts, or simply witnessed his generosity, the real reward is the stronger community he’s helped build.