Dr. Smith is picking up the baton and running with it as her husband ran the first leg of the marathon. She is intent on keeping the legacy moving forward having traversed this path many times.

She retired from Comerica Bank after 47 years  During her career she was the Human Resources Manager of staff Employment for Michigan. She continued using those skills as Vice President of Public Affairs & Community Reinvestment.

Instead of matching candidates with jobs, Smith was now matching local nonprofits, schools and community organizations with the resources they needed for local area and economic development. The position presented another opportunity to enhance the lives of the people.  It was Smith’s job to identify those communities' needs and offer solutions.

After many years of community service and countless programs, Smith is proud of her work in the comomunity and the establishment of  the CRA Associations of Michigan. In the last 15 years, the number of associations has grown to nine with compliance officers from banks across Michigan participating.  

Dr. Farris has a long standing and reputable name in the community of Detroit. Having founded the Michigan Institute for Nonviolence Education in 1998, Dr. Farris maintains the distinction of being the only Level 3 Trainer of the Kingian Nonviolent Conflict Reconciliation Training Program inspired by the teachings Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and is a working program of the King Center located in Atlanta, Ga.  She is also the Eden Park Community Project (EPCP) Steering Committee Co-Chair. 

She has over 35 years of non-profit organizational experience and was also a former Adjunct Professor at her alma mater the University of Detroit-Mercy. She is also a founding member of her school's chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorrority, Inc.

Reverend Davis is Pastor of First Baptist Church located in Ecorse, Michigan.

*Retired Superintendent

River Rouge Public Schools