Longtime Bradley County Trustee Mike Smith announced Monday that he will be retiring at the end of his current term on Aug. 31, 2026.
Trustee Smith will complete 20 years as trustee at the completion of this term. He also served as First District County commissioner for 16 years, representing the Hopewell, Prospect and McDonald communities. Mr. Smith will have served a total of 36 years in service to Bradley County.
Trustee Smith received the Designation of Certified Public Administrator from the University of Tennessee in 2007.
During his career he has served as president of the East Tennessee Trustee’ Association in 2008, 2012, 2013 and 2024. Trustee Smith was recognized as the East Tennessee Trustee of the year in 2008, 2013 and 2024. In 2017, he was awarded the Ralph York Lifetime Achievement Award for service to Bradley County Citizens and was recently inducted into the Bradley County Republican Party Hall of Fame.
Trustee Smith said, “It has been my honor to serve Bradley County as trustee and county commissioner. I was fortunate to always have a staff that was committed to accuracy and excellent customer service that we always strived to provide.
"I would like to publicly thank my family for their support. They were always there with opinions and advice through the years.
"Thank you Bradley County for your support over the last 36 years, while I will miss the daily interactions with the public and my staff, I look forward to enjoying my retirement with fond memories of service to Bradley County.”