Jim Smith
President and CEO

Spartanburg Office
P.O. Box 4125
Spartanburg, SC 29305

Department: Marketing & Sales Team
864-597-0784

Jim Smith has long been a nationally recognized expert in the modern version of the ancient art of selling at auction.

He brings to the business an absolute commitment to client and customer satisfaction, notable academic credentials and formal training and extensive practical experience with the sale of real estate at auction right here at home and across the Southeastern United States.

At age 22, Jim founded the present day Jim Smith & Associates, REALTORS in Spartanburg, SC in 1973.  During the 70’s, he operated three real estate offices, a real estate development company, residential construction company, syndicated land & real estate development transactions, operated as NC/SC “regional representative”,  for a major real estate franchise company, taught for the South Carolina Graduate REALTORS Institute Program and the University of South Carolina at Spartanburg, drove dirt track race cars, participated in the rodeo business and established the family’s present day cattle farm.

In the mid 1970’s, Jim first became directly involved in the auction business by using auction  marketing to sell a large tract of land which he owned with a partner.

A consistent multi-million dollar producer since his early 20’s, Jim turned his primary business focus to auction marketing in the late 1970’s and quickly rose to success and prominence in the auction marketing business. 

He created an awareness of the benefits of auction marketing in the Western Carolinas' at a time when the conventional brokerage community & many Sellers viewed auctions in a poor light.  Jim became the only member of the Spartanburg Board of REALTORS to qualify for its Million Dollar Club based on real estate sold at auction & was three times its number one producer.

Bringing the unique advantage of extensive experience in the real estate brokerage and development profession to auction marketing, Jim has personally originated, organized, promoted and conducted the sale of many millions of dollars worth of real estate at auction.  Property types sold include single family homes, condos, town homes, farms & acreage tracts, resort properties, subdivision lots, commercial real estate, vacant and improved industrial properties and a wide assortment of personal assets including farm machinery, heavy equipment, thoroughbred horses, cattle, furniture fixtures and equipment, estate and antiques.

One of only a few auction executives in America to hold cross-discipline designations from both The National Association of REALTORS and the National Auctioneers Association, Jim provides leadership for Carolina Auction Team, is active daily in the firm’s business development plan and is providing intense, advanced training for the next, third generation of leadership for Carolina Auction Team.

He personally works virtually every Auction undertaken by Carolina Auction Team – regardless of size or location, is frequently called on as a consultant to other real estate auction organizations from across America and continues to have active interest in major real estate development transactions.

A dedicated Father and Grandfather, Jim actively participates in civic undertakings and is a strong advocate of professional training and higher education.

PROFESSIONAL DISTINCTIONS

• Graduate REALTORS Institute, (GRI) - S.C. Association of REALTORS - 1975
• CRB Designation (Earned) - National Association of REALTORS - 1985
• Who's Who in Real Estate in America - 1981
• CAI Designation from Indiana University & Auction Marketing Institute, 1988
• (AARE) Accredited Auctioneer, Real Estate Designation, 1990
• Alumni Association, University of South Carolina at Spartanburg, Outstanding
• Service Award – 1975, Distinguished Alumni Award, 2000
• Eagle Scout, Troop 19, Spartanburg, S.C. – 1963 at age 13
• Master Mason, Spartan Lodge #70 AFM
• Member, Spartanburg County Commission for Higher Education, 1991-Present
• Chairman, Spartanburg County Commission for Higher Education, 2000 - Present
• Carolina Piedmont Foundation Vice President - Development, 1998 - Present
• Endowed Clinton R. Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund in the School of Business, University of South Carolina at Spartanburg
• Endowed Frances Sitton Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund in the School of Nursing at The University of South Carolina at Spartanburg
• Endowed scholarship at USCS with Spartanburg County Foundation
• Member, Horseshoe Society, USC – Columbia
• Million Dollar Sales Club, Spartanburg Board of Realtors - Active lifetime Member, Number one Producer - Million Dollar Sales Club – 3 times

MEMBER/AFFILIATIONS

• Spartanburg Board of REALTORS
• South Carolina Associations of REALTORS
• National Association of REALTORS
• South Carolina Association of Auctioneers
• Georgia Auctioneers Association
• Auctioneers Association of N.C.
• National Association of Auctioneers
• Auction Marketing Institute
• Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce
• S.C. Livestock Producers Association
• Mayo Baptist Church
• Served on and chaired, numerous local, state & national committees for real estate and auction associations

GRADUATE

• University of South Carolina, Columbia - 1972
• Bachelor of Science - Finance and Marketing
• Earned significant academic honors, including Omicron Delta Epsilon Honor Society in Economics, Dean’s List - 5 Times
• Southeastern School of Auctioneering - 1985
• South Carolina REALTORS Institute - 1975
• Certified Auctioneers Education Institute - 1988
• Accredited Auctioneer of Real Estate, Indiana University, 1990

OTHER SIGNIFICANT ACADEMIC WORK

• Raw Land Syndications - Real Estate Securities & Syndication Institute, Atlanta-1976 
• Advanced Syndication Techniques, Real Estate Securities & Syndication 
• Institute, Chicago - 1978
• Office Building Management, National Institute of Real Estate Management, Atlanta - 1981
• Real Estate Marketing Management, Washington, D.C. - 1985
• Certified Auctioneers Institute, Course I, Indiana University - 1985
• Certified Auctioneers Institute, Course II, Indiana University - 1986
• Certified Auctioneers Institute, Course III, Indiana University - 1987
• Accredited Auctioneer, Real Estate, Indiana University – 1990
• Karras Negotiating Seminar, 1991

PUBLISHED BY

• "Real Estate Today", National Association of REALTORS
• "The South Carolina Realtor", South Carolina Association of REALTORS
• "The Auctioneer", National Association of Auctioneers
• "The Bid Caller", South Carolina Auctioneers Association
• "Real Estate Insider"
• Other professional journals and trade periodicals, numerous articles and research works on Real Estate         Development and Marketing Real Estate at Auction

INSTRUCTOR

• Academic Faculty, University of South Carolina at Spartanburg - 1980-1981
• Continuing Education Faculty, University of South Carolina at Spartanburg - 1976- 1979
• ERA Real Estate - 1975-1980
• Accredited Auctioneer Real Estate Designation Program, 1993 – Present
• National Auctioneers Association Convention – Seminar Presenter, Tempe, AZ, 1996, Kansas City, 1987, San Antonio, 1991, etc.

DEVELOPMENT EXPERIENCE

• Acted in principal, developer, sponsor, and marketing agent capacities in many residential, resort/residential properties, townhouse, apartment and income properties, including:  Farm Lake, Boiling Springs, S.C.; The Woodlands at Three Pines Country Club, Woodruff, S.C.; Cates Pond, Spartanburg, S.C.; South Edisto Plantation, Bamberg, SC; Camp Skyuka on White Oak Mountain in Tryon, N.C., Sunset Harbor at Lake Bowen, Amber Shores at Lake Bowen, Stonecreek, Pisgah Forest, Oxford Square Townhomes, Creekstone Apartments, Archer Ridge Mobile Home Community, Thorne Cove on Lake Blalock, Johnson’s Pointe on Lake Blalock, Upcountry Industrial Park on I-26 at Highway 292, Gresham Commerce Park on Highway 290 at I-85, Stone Creek Crossing, Franklin, NC, over 1,000 entry level residential lots and many others. 
• Consultant, contract developer and work- out specialist for institutional owners and other real estate development & auction marketing firms.
• Presently developing the 3300+/- acre, Landmark Lake Adger resort-residential communities   surrounding the 450 acre  Lake Adger in Polk County, NC