This week, RICE was honored to host students from the inaugural cohort of T. Dallas Smith’s Knowledge Transfer Program. This transformative experience is designed to go far beyond a typical internship. For T. Dallas, one of the most respected commercial real estate brokers in the country and a proud RICE Board Member, the mission is clear: build legacy and pour back into the next generation.
As the founder of T. Dallas Smith & Company, the largest African American-owned commercial real estate firm focused solely on tenant and buyer representation, his journey is marked by breaking barriers, opening doors, and creating lasting opportunities. His dedication to mentorship stems from personal experience—from the wisdom lost with his father’s passing to the invaluable guidance he received from Herman J. Russell, one of Atlanta’s most iconic business leaders and the namesake behind RICE.
By bringing his students to the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, T. Dallas offered them more than a tour. He provided a living example of Black excellence in action and the environment that helped shape his success. Students were also able to sit down with RICE President and CEO Jay Bailey for a powerful conversation about the ongoing impact of Herman J. Russell’s legacy and how it fuels RICE’s mission to Build Black Business. It was a moment of connection between history, opportunity, and future leadership.
For those who want to go deeper into his story, T. Dallas shares his powerful journey in his memoir, In the Black: Changing the Dominant Narrative in the Commercial Real Estate Industry. The book is packed with lessons, inspiration, and real talk about what it takes to rise and reach back.
