Chris Smith
A career built at the intersection of business, government, and industry.
Operating Philosophy
Listen carefully. Understand the business. Build the right relationships. Advance practical solutions.
Smith MT does not treat government affairs as access for its own sake. Effective advisory work begins with understanding the client’s operations, economics, risks, and objectives, then developing a strategy that public officials, business leaders, and community stakeholders can understand and support.
Professional Experience
For more than two decades, Chris R. Smith has worked in roles requiring organizations with different priorities to reach practical, defensible outcomes. His career spans Fortune 100 defense contracting, aerospace business development, advanced manufacturing, entrepreneurship, and government affairs.
At Lockheed Martin, Chris developed deep experience in federal acquisition, pricing, negotiation, and contractual strategy while negotiating more than $5.2 billion in domestic and international government and commercial agreements. He later led customer strategy and business development for GKN Aerospace, working with Department of Defense customers, prime contractors, OEMs, Legislative Affairs organizations, and executive leadership to secure more than $820 million in new aerospace and defense business.
Leadership at SEKISUI Aerospace broadened that experience across advanced manufacturing and long-cycle commercial and defense markets. Today, as Owner of US Diesel, Chris also brings firsthand understanding of the realities facing small businesses, distributors, manufacturers, suppliers, and customers, including supply-chain risk, trade, workforce constraints, regulation, taxation, investment, and cash flow.
Chris founded Smith MT Strategies LLC to apply that combined experience on behalf of organizations navigating government, policy, growth, procurement, and stakeholder challenges. His approach is business-focused, relationship-driven, and grounded in the belief that durable outcomes emerge when public and private interests are understood clearly and aligned honestly.
Experience at a Glance
SMITH MT: Government affairs, executive advisory, legislative strategy, stakeholder engagement, and strategic partnerships.
US DIESEL: Business ownership, industrial distribution, supplier strategy, modernization, and small-business leadership.
SEKISUI AEROSPACE: Executive business development for advanced aerospace manufacturing across commercial and defense markets.
GKN AEROSPACE: Customer strategy, capture leadership, Legislative Affairs collaboration, and $820M+ in new business secured.
LOCKHEED MARTIN: Federal acquisition, pricing, contract negotiation, executive advisory, and $5.2B+ in agreements negotiated.