Born in 1957 at the Lee County Hospital, now known as East Alabama Health, Smith’s fondest memories are tied to Opelika, the city where he was raised, went to school, started a family, entered the workforce and served the community.
Smith graduated from Opelika High School in 1975 and four years later graduated from Auburn University with a business degree in finance. He began his career at First National Bank of Opelika and retired 45 years later in June 2025. He married his wife Dawn in 1981, and they raised two children, who are also alumni of Opelika High School and Auburn University. Smith and his wife now have five grandchildren.
In 1999, Smith received a diagnosis that changed his life forever and ultimately put him on a path that led to the position he holds today.
Smith was diagnosed with a lipoma tumor on his spinal canal, which required numerous operations. During one of the surgeries, his spinal cord was nicked, leaving him paralyzed from T6 down.
“I found myself with too much free time, and I needed to figure out how to devote my free time,” he says. “Previously, I had enjoyed fishing, hunting, golfing and all those things, but all of a sudden, I wasn’t able to be a part of that. So, I decided to test the waters in local politics.”
Smith was elected to the Opelika City Council as the Ward 4 representative in 2004 and was reelected four more times. Each election cycle he ran unopposed. During his second term as a city councilman, he was also elected as the council president, a position he held for four of his five terms.
Over the past 21 years serving the city he loves, Smith has been part of the driving force advancing Opelika into what it is today – a growing, thriving city with all the charms of a small town. Opelika became Alabama’s first Gig City, nearly 5,000 residential homes have been added, new industries brought countless jobs to the area and numerous facilities were built or renovated across the city.
Smith worked side-by-side with former mayor Gary Fuller, who served Opelika as mayor for 21 years. When Fuller decided he wasn’t going to run for reelection, he fully supported Smith when he put his name in the race.
“Eddie wants our community to move forward, and he wants us to continue to be successful. He’s a great person, he’s smart and he’s an Opelika guy. I think his passion for our community and his love for Opelika will allow him to do a terrific job as mayor. Our best days are ahead of us,” says Fuller.
During the campaign, Smith discovered he had a cancerous mass on his right lung. He went through treatments at UAB in Birmingham and was eventually declared in remission.
“People were just incredibly generous to me, helping me raise money to run the campaign and helping me be at different places that I couldn’t be at. My three sisters were all involved in representing me at times when I couldn’t be there. I had a group of people, including my wife, that were really heroes of the whole thing. It was like a village coming together and I’ll forever be grateful for that,” says Smith.
In the next four years, Smith will continue to serve the community and tackle challenges with the help of other community leaders. He plans to make improvements at West Ridge Park’s baseball facility as well as underground upgrades to the downtown area. The city is also discussing the addition of a sewer line from the Northeast Industrial Park to the wastewater treatment plant, developing another industrial park, expanding Fox Run School and building a new middle school near the Opelika Sportsplex.
“We are on a daily basis coordinating and talking with different groups about relocation or additional facilities in our community, where to locate them and where the workforce would come from,” says Smith. “We have a lot of opportunities to recruit that we will be working on during this four-year term, and I look forward to seeing what the good Lord has in store for us there. We have lots of things that are going on. It’s going to be a good, fun, challenging term.”
Joining Smith are five city council members who are ready to make a difference and continue guiding the growth of Opelika. George Allen (Ward 1) and Todd Rauch (Ward 5) are the returning council members who will be joined by the newly elected Janataka Hughley-Holmes (Ward 2), Leigh Whatley (Ward 3) and Chuck Beams (Ward 4).
Allen, an Opelika native, enjoyed being part of the improvements to the city and to his ward over the past five years. With support from his constituents, he was reelected to a second term and made history as the first African American to be president of the Opelika City Council.
“To be the first is an accomplishment. That was history, so to be a part of history is important. I appreciate the opportunity for the other council members to feel like I have the ability to lead in that capacity,” says Allen. “It’s a joy to work for the people of Opelika. We have a great school system, great housing market, great jobs, and that’s what makes a great city.”
Whatley previously served on the Opelika Planning Commission for five years and the Historic Planning Commission for 10 years. This election cycle, she decided to represent her district and ran for a spot on the city council.
“I love Opelika, and living in the historic district, I feel like it’s important to protect my ward. We’re really trying to protect no commercial over on the residential side of the historic district,” she says. “I was beyond honored that people put their faith and trust in me, and I’m excited to give back to the community and to Opelika.”
Beams, chief pharmacy officer at East Alabama Health, served on the Opelika City School Board of Education for nine years and was active on the Chamber of Commerce executive board. His experience on these boards increased his passion for problem solving and led him to run for Smith’s former city council seat.
“Eddie, to me, is Opelika. He’s a fighter, and for decades, he’s fought the good fight for Opelika. I think his work with previous Mayor Gary Fuller is a testimony to why we are where we are today,” says Beams.
“I’m honored to be able to serve next to him and honored to represent Ward 4 in a seat that he was in for 21 years. It’s big shoes for me to fill. I know he feels the same way about the seat he’s in, filling the shoes of Mayor Fuller, but he’s the right man for the job.”
