Dale Smith
2024 – 2025 District 6630 Governor

Dale Smith grew up in southeastern Ohio, graduating from Barnesville High School. Dale received a B.Sc. in Ceramic Engineering from the Ohio State University. He has a Six Sigma Black Belt from Sigma Breakthrough Technologies and is facilitator and practitioner of Kepner-Tregoe problem solving and decision analysis. His career began as a process engineer in ceramic tile manufacture and progressed to a very successful career in leading process and quality improvement in manufacturing, including lighting, automotive, building products, label materials

and undersea telecommunication systems. Achievements include leading cost projects with significant financial impact including one saving $2,000,000 per year, solving several “intractable” industry issues, developing and successfully

implementing a new manufacturing process for lighting products, leading multiple organizations through the development and certification of quality systems, improving spark plug manufacture to meet the voltage demands of electronic ignitions and other projects that remain proprietary to the organizations involved. Dale retired from Avery Dennison in Mentor, OH in 2021.

Dale’s service career began with a brief but impactful stint in town government while residing in Epping, New Hampshire, serving on the planning board and budget committee and as chair of the board of fire wards. He also chaired a new high school site selection committee.

He joined the Rotary Club of Cambridge (OH) in 2003 where he served as Club President in 2005/2006. As Dale’s career caused moves around the eastern US, he also was a member of the Downtown Macon (GA), Kent, and Camden (SC) Rotary Clubs.

Dale joined the Mentor Rotary Club in 2014 and served as president of that club in 2019/2020. Dale has served many roles in those clubs including leading many service and matching grant projects while also chairing Literacy, Foundation, and Public Image Committees.

He initiated and facilitated the Lake County Sunrise Satellite Rotary Club and is a member of the District 6630 Membership Steering Committee. Dale was twice named Rotarian of the Year and received a District Service Above Self Award. He is a Paul Harris Fellow +3 and a Bequest Society (Level 4) Member.

In addition to Rotary, Dale served as a director of the Family Counseling Center of Central Georgia. He serves on the Barnesville High School Class of 1979 Scholarship Committee which provides a full scholarship to a single annual graduate of the Barnesville High School who attends one to the top universities in the US.

Dale is married to Jeri Ann, a native of Bath, NY. They reside in Newbury, OH on Raccoon Ridge. Dale is an avid gardener and seasonal winemaker and enjoys daily hikes in retirement with Murphy, Quinn and Keeva - the yellow labs that seem to run the household. Dale and Jeri Ann enjoy travel - especially visiting New York’s Finger Lakes.