Richard is a native West Knoxvillian and a graduate of Bearden High School and The University of Tennessee, with a degree in marketing. In 1980, he joined Dean-Planters Realty and soon became Principal Broker; in 1988 he became the majority owner and President and changed the company’s name to Dean-Smith Realty.
Richard’s reputation as a keen advisor, an honest and skilled negotiator, and tireless workhorse has earned him an elite clientele and consistently placed him among Knoxville’s most successful agents. Since joining Berkshire-Hathaway HomeServices, he has consistently placed among the top 1% of BHHS agents in the country. He has represented the buyers and sellers of Knoxville’s most extraordinary properties and has been the selected agent of many of Knoxville’s most formidable corporations for over 40 years.
Richard is a certified Luxury Collection Specialist, a member of the East Tennessee Association of REALTORS, First Baptist Church Knoxville, and Leadership Knoxville’s Class of 2025. He and his wife, Karen, a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, share a farm in West Knoxville. They are the parents of Meredith, a Nurse Educator for Covenant Health, and Alex, a professional artist, and the grandparents of Haili and Lacy.