2013 Newmarket
Michael Smith, Co-founder of Smith Rogers Financial, is a man who gets things done. An entrepreneur, family man and dedicated volunteer, Mike approaches all aspects of his life with passion and determination. “The only ceiling is the one you impose on yourself,” he says. With this outlook he goes full force at life utilizing what he feels are his strongest skills to positively impact the local community.
With a volunteer acumen that is both long and varied, Mike comes by his community dedication quite naturally. Growing up, his parents were heavily involved in community organizations and of Mike’s earliest volunteer related memories, he recalls “tagging along to Bingo fundraisers” put on by the local Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs to which his parents belonged. While he didn’t necessarily love it at the time, it did instill in him a sense of community of which he will be forever grateful.
It is through this early exposure that Mike realized great communities are created, not by municipal boundaries and proximity to neighbours, but by the involvement and dedication of their citizens. “If you can’t give of your money, give of your time. And if you can’t give of your time, give of your money,” is his comment.
Today Mike does a lot of both. He is active volunteering his time for many different causes and his business is a strong advocate of giving back to its community, focusing their attention on causes that are dear to their hearts. A true Canadian, Mike is a lover of both hockey and golf, and healthy living in general, so naturally his philanthropic efforts tend to overlap in these areas. Mike’s business sponsors and he coaches, teams every year in the Newmarket Minor Hockey, Provincial loop Soccer and Lacrosse Leagues. Mike has also been running charity golf tournaments and fundraisers for over 20 years. “I really enjoy running events for organizations that I think make a difference in our community,” he says. Currently, he chairs the Aurora Chamber Golf Tournament (two years) and the Southlake Regional Golf Tournament, and formerly chaired the Newmarket Chamber Golf Tournament (seven years), not to mention sitting on committees for several more.
But perhaps Mike’s biggest focus is his volunteer work with Southlake Regional Health Centre which he has been involved with for almost a decade. He is the current chair of the Southlake Community Awareness Committee (CAC), which he has been a part of for the last nine years and helps to provide a grassroots link between Southlake and the Community. And for the past six years he has also served on Southlake’s Board of Directors. “I wanted to work on a cause that I could really sink my teeth into. One that I knew would have a positive impact on the entire community...My own family, clients and friends have been benefactors of the great facilities at Southlake, and it gives me great satisfaction to hear of the positive experiences they have, and to know that in a small way, I’ve helped make that happen”, he says.
Looking to the future Mike knows that volunteering and giving back will continue to play a big part in his life, acknowledging that he by no means does this alone. “My family and business partners should be given kudos for supporting my efforts as they also realize it’s important to give to our community. Without their 100% support, I could do any of it,” he said.
His goal is to further hone in on the causes that are closest to his heart, in order to really make an impact. His mantra on life? “When you leave this place, make sure it’s greater than when you arrived.” Mike is, undoubtedly, doing his part.