Lou was sworn in to represent the City of Coronado on January 5, 2010. Smith is a career naval officer, beginning in the Navy's Civil Engineer Corps. He completed three tours in Vietnam, supervising construction of combat facilities for the Marines. Later in his naval career, he was sent to Washington, DC where he worked with the Department of Defense and Congress on military base construction projects. Following his Washington assignment, he ran the Navy's Public Works Office in Keflavik, Iceland. Retiring from the Navy in 2000 as a two-star Admiral, Smith was directly responsible for more than 360 major naval bases throughout the world. After retiring, he chose to work in the public sector, serving as Chief Administrative Officer for San Diego City Schools. He had a major role in the execution of Proposition MM, a $1.5 billion school bond. Smith most recently served as Vice President of Facilities for Sharp Healthcare in San Diego. During his tenure there, he was involved in the construction of two new hospitals, each with a construction value of more than $150 million. He retired from Sharp in 2008. A registered professional civil engineer, Smith is a Fellow and Past National President of the Society of Military Engineers. His civic experience includes serving on the Board of Directors of the San Diego County Taxpayer's Association, and the Board of Sharp Coronado Hospital.