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Mr. Tom E. Smith has had a distinguished career in the retail grocery industry. Mr. Smith served as the Chairman and CEO of Food Lion from 1990 through 1999. Food Lion is one of the largest supermarket chains in the United States with 1,200 stores in 11 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states. Food Lion employs over 80,000 employees. Under Mr. Smith's leadership, Food Lion emerged as an industry leader, quadrupling sales from $1.9 billion to $10.2 billion and store locations from 317 to 1,223. Mr. Smith, who first began work at Food Lion as a bagger, stayed with the company throughout his high school and college years. After graduating from Catawba College in 1964 with a degree in Business Administration, Smith worked with the Del Monte Sales Company before rejoining Food Lion in 1970 as a buyer in the company's corporate office. During the next decade, Mr. Smith rose through the ranks, becoming president in 1981 and chief executive officer in 1986. He was named chairman of the Food Lion Board of Directors in 1990. He retired in 1999. Mr. Smith currently serves on the Corporate Boards of Speedway Motors, Farmers & Merchants Bank and Concord Telephone Company. Additionally, Mr. Smith has recently served on the Boards of many Public Service Organizations including: Children's Miracle Network Board of Governors; President's Advisory Committee of the American Red Cross; Chairman of the Board of the Catawba College and Duke Children's Hospital Board. Mr. Smith was also singled out for numerous business and civic awards, including the Bronze (1987) and Silver (1992) CEO of the Year Award from Financial World Magazine. | 