Nancy Smith is a straight shooter. Her advice to young women who aspire to be leaders: “Don’t sit around being a pansy hoping someone will notice you and say we’ll give you a chance because you’re cute. Get out there and make your own future by working hard.”

She knows of what she speaks since she chairs the Rome-Floyd County Development Authority, runs her own graphic design and marketing company (N.L. Smithworks) and has been involved in so many community organizations that she is a past recipient of the esteemed Heart of the Community Award, including being one of the first women inducted in Rome Rotary .

Nancy was born in Rome and left at 16 when her father, then principal of Mount Berry School for Boys, changed jobs. But she was destined to return.

“ I had a blind date with another Roman when I was in college, ended up marrying him and moving back to Rome in 1975.”

While she’s one busy lady, she’s mindful to stop and smell the roses ... or whatever colorful blooms are in her lush yard since flowers are her passion. “Viewing them, growing them and arranging them ... just love ‘em,” says Nancy. Other interests include reading, photography, walking, needlepoint and family research.

And on a recent spring afternoon, her dining room table was covered in her daughter’s wedding invitations that Nancy was meticulously addressing in calligraphy. She’s also honing her skeet shooting skills with the help of her tournament shooter husband and local attorney David Smith.

A fun, quirky fact is that Nancy was born on Valentine’s Day and her maiden name was Loveday.

Her bucket list includes traveling to Italy, Australia and New Zealand and she’s already checked England, Scotland and Ireland off her list.

Nancy loves being among Rome’s community leaders and was featured in the Women’s Leadership Academy at the Rome Area History Museum in March.

What does she enjoy about being a local leader? “Having your opinions listened to and respected, and listening to and respecting the opinions of others, as well.”

More advice for young women: “Listen more, talk less. Work for nonprofit organizations in the community to build your reputation as a credible person. Be kind and generous to other women and learn to network with them.”

Perhaps that’s why Nancy’s personal motto is “Ye shall be known by your works.”

Indeed she is ....