Wilkie Smith – Sumter County Tax Commissioner

I was born in the local Americus & Sumter County Hospital in 1955 and was raised on Rose Avenue. My father, Bully Smith sold cars in this town for nearly 50 years and then completed his work-life at Electric Wholesale Supply in Americus. My mother, Sue Rigsby Smith served this County as its Probate Judge for 20 years. She was successfully elected to five terms, retiring in 1988. My wife is Nancy Cheek Smith, who spent 35 years in the Clerk of Courts Office. She began in 1981 as a Deputy Clerk, then was elected Clerk of Superior Court unopposed for four additional terms. This wonderful woman retired in December 2016. My first cousin was Pete Smith, who proudly served as the Sumter County Sheriff for 16 years. We are very proud of a history of public service in our family.

Nancy and I married late in life. I am a 1986 cancer survivor -- chemo, radiation, and many steroids. Doctors indicated that children might not be in our future. But God had a plan & blessed us with Adam W. Smith IV in 2001 when Nancy was 39 years old and I was 2 weeks shy of age 46. Today, the 20-year old is truly a miracle blessing and currently a sophomore college student.

I do not believe I could have grown up and raised a family in a better community than Americus & Sumter County Georgia. Americus allowed me to have opportunities like:

• Loving parents and a sister in a great family
• A nice High School Baseball career
• Drafted by the Atlanta Braves in the 15th round of the 1973 MLB June Amateur Draft
• Played college baseball
• High School Baseball & Softball coach
• College Baseball Coach at Georgia Southwestern College
• High School Assistant Principal
• Head of an Independent School
• Business owner
• Elected Constitutional Officer as Tax Commissioner

Wilkie started in the Sumter County Tax Commissioner’s Office in September, 2011 as an entry-level Tag & Tax Clerk. The Tax Commissioner at the time was Mr. Bill McGowan. In 2012, Mr. McGowan made the decision to not seek re-election, encouraging Wilkie to qualify for the position.

Wilkie was elected Tax Commissioner in the November 2012 General Election. He took office on January 1, 2013 as the 37th Tax Commissioner in Sumter County history (Sumter County Tax Commissioners 1832-present).