Squeak Smith

Squeak Smith
Retired Chair
Morganton, WV

Squeak grew up in Michigan, where his grandfather was a fishing guide.  He caught his first fish on a fly rod at age 3 and learned to tie flies at 8.  He has been addicted to fly fishing and protecting water ever since!  Squeak traveled and lived all over the world during his service in the Air Force flying F-4 Phantoms until he was medically retired in 1983 due to Multiple Sclerosis.

He moved to North Carolina in 1986, specifically for the trout fishing opportunities, making his home in the North Carolina mountain foothills where 30+ trout streams within 45 miles of his new home seemed the perfect location to begin his 35-year career as a “full-time volunteer”.   He immediately engaged in local environmental issues, holding volunteer leadership roles with Trout Unlimited, Foothills Land Conservancy, and numerous other environmental nonprofits.

Squeak makes presentations throughout the Southeast and nationally on nonprofit fundraising, stream restoration projects and opportunities, fly-tying demonstrations, as well as salmon and steelhead fishing on Great Lakes rivers, and regional trout fishing.  

Individually or as the Chair of an organization, Squeak has received 5 North Carolina Governor’s Awards for his leadership and dedication to environmental efforts.  He recently stepped down as Chair of Resource Institute (2010 - 2020) to start a consulting business, continue his work with Resource Institute, and spend more time on the water and with his family and friends.