Dale Smith grew up in northeastern Florida and graduated from Duncan U. Fletcher Sr. High School in 1970.  He graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison in 1974.

Smith received his commission in the U. S. Navy in May 1974 and served as a Naval Flight Officer in P-3 Orion anti-submarine aircraft, editor of a monthly naval aviation safety magazine and as a public affairs officer for the U. S. Atlantic Command and Atlantic Fleet Headquarters and the U. S. Naval Air Force Atlantic Fleet Headquarters.  He left active duty in 1985 at the rank of lieutenant commander and remained an officer in the Naval Reserves, retiring at the rank of captain in 1994.

In 1985, Smith became Manager, Public Relations and Advertising for Pratt & Whitney in West Palm Beach, Florida.  In 1987, Smith was named executive director of the Economic Council of Palm Beach County, Florida, a private business association.  His work included growth management policy, public education improvement, criminal justice system reform, economic development, and community redevelopment.

Smith was named Director of Florida Operations for the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in January 1993.  The Foundation, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, owned 42,000 acres of real estate in Florida which the Florida operations division managed, marketed and, ultimately sold, generating over $500 million in revenue from 1993 to 1998.  This work also involved development partnerships in which the Foundation was landowner and investor, including the 2,000-acre mixed-use project, Abacoa, in Jupiter, Florida.

In March 2000, Smith became Chief Executive of the Public Building Authority (PBA) of the County of Knox and the City of Knoxville, Tennessee.  The PBA manages the development and construction of various public facilities.  At any point in time, the PBA is managing approximately $40 million in construction projects, including a new city convention center, an E911 center, libraries and the like.  In addition, the PBA manages over 1.5 million square feet of government buildings.

Smith's civic and volunteer activities include significant work in public education, environmental education, and community redevelopment.  He is an avid fisherman and a lousy golfer.

Smith is married to Teresa Ferguson-Smith and has two daughters, Brianna and Lindsay, a stepson, Trever, and three grandchildren, Daniel, Kahley, and Emily.