Born February 22, 1941 in Raleigh, NC
- A Raleigh native, Smedes has spent many years serving in various capacities in his community. He is part of a family business that began in Raleigh in 1910.
- Chairman of York Properties, Inc., McDonald York Building Company and Berkshire Hathaway York Simpson Underwood.
- Graduate of Broughton High School in 1959.
- Earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering with High Honors from North Carolina State University in 1963 where he played basketball for the legendary Everett Case.
- Earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the UNC Chapel Hill in 1968.
- Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from North Carolina State University in 2009.
- Served as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1964-1966), receiving an Army Commendation Medal for his service in South Korea.
- Served on the Raleigh City Council (1977-1979) and two terms as Mayor (1979-1983).
- Past chairman of the North Carolina Chamber, the N.C. State University Board of Trustees, YMCA of the Triangle, and the Research Triangle Foundation.
- Served as Chairman of the Urban Land Institute from 1989-1991 and continues to serve as a Trustee. As a ULI member, he chaired many advisory service panel assignments including New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
- Current board positions include North Carolina Amateur Sports, North Carolina Beautiful and Contemporary Art Museum (CAM). Emeritus member of board of Research Triangle Foundation.
- Inducted into the Raleigh Hall of Fame, Needham Broughton Athletics Hall of Fame, North Carolina Business Hall of Fame, N.C. State University Civil Engineering Hall of Fame, Wake County Boys and Girls Club Hall of Fame and the Raleigh Regional Association of REALTORS Hall of Fame.
- Received The Order of the Long Leaf Pine for work on 1987 Olympic Festival.
- Received the Watauga Medal from North Carolina State University and the Distinguished Citizenship Award from the North Carolina Chamber.
- Smedes and his wife, Rosemary, have two sons, George and William, and three grandsons, Smedes, Bowen and Crawford.