The Collin County Observer™

From a campaign Press release:

DAVID M. SMITH ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR COLLIN COUNTY JUDGE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PLANO, TX, January 4, 2010 — Former Plano City Council Member, David M. Smith, today announced his candidacy and filing for Collin County Judge in the 2010 Democratic Primary. He is thus potentially setting up a race in November between himself and incumbent Keith Self or the successful Republican Primary challenger.

"David is a strong candidate with a lot of experience. As Judge, he can provide what residents of this county really need. We are very excited about his candidacy,” affirmed Linda Magid, Tom Daley’s former U.S. congressional campaign manager.

Smith has outlined initiatives in the areas of transportation, health-care services, sustainability and government cost reduction. He has also stressed his fiscally conservative approach, proven by the tax-rate reductions and tax rebates that marked his Plano City Council tenure.

“I have known and worked closely with David for several years, and have always been impressed with his grasp and in-depth knowledge of local issues and his ability to voice the right choices for all Collin County residents,” declared Camille Hedrick, former assistant Democratic primary elections administrator.

“I seek to be a competent, pragmatic leader for Collin County government,” Smith declared. “I will focus on best serving the residents of Collin County, without adhering to any political ideology.”

BIOGRAPHY

A former three-term Plano City Council Member and manager at Electronic Data Systems (now Hewlett-Packard), David M. Smith is currently an environmental and political consultant, with clients Biozyme Remediation Technologies, Inc. and EarthShare of Texas. A native Texan and long-time resident of Collin County, Smith has extensive experience in a variety of roles in the public, private and military sectors.

Smith is the state legislative coordinator for Texas Neighborhoods Together, a coalition of homeowner and neighborhood associations including the Plano Homeowners Council and others statewide. His past political clients include a number of candidates as well as the Democratic Party of Collin County, with which he served as primary elections administrator during the previous three election cycles.

Highlights of Smith’s Plano City Council tenure include membership on the Finance Committee and following the Regional Transportation Council as an alternate member during his three terms. Smith also served on a variety of local, state and national committees focusing on public-sector information systems, telecommunications, transportation, community planning, animal services, the environment and energy.

While residing in Collin County, Smith has undertaken other civic activities such as advisory director of the Plano Chamber of Commerce and as officer of the Plano Homeowners Council and other similar associations wherever he resided within the County. With his church, he served as vice chair of the church council, building trustee, and Sunday school superintendent and teacher, as well as liaison to the troop’s Boy Scout troop.

Smith began his corporate career as engineer at Texas Instruments and ended with management positions at EDS. While at EDS, Smith also held the position of instructor in the company’s internal leadership development program. Prior to his corporate career, Smith served in United States Air Force and Texas Air National Guard civil-engineering units.

Smith was born in Port Arthur, Texas, and grew up in nearby Groves, where his father served as mayor. Smith has resided in Richardson or Plano for 30 years, 20 or which were in Collin County.

Smith earned his Bachelor of Engineering degree from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee.

Visit www.DMS4CollinCounty.com for further information.

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