Okie Robert Smith

Jul. 27—Robert Smith puts in a lot of work for what he says is the "small part" he plays in the community.

Smith has spent 15 years as chairman of the Exchange Club of Muskogee's Chili and Barbecue Cook-Off. This takes up a big chunk of time when he's not working as chief financial officer at Omni Valve.

He recalled getting involved with the club through Dick Morris, a founding member.

Smith soon got involved with the club's main fund-raiser, the annual Chili and Barbecue Cook-Off. He said he first helped co-chair Jerry Stretch for the first few years.

"The next year Stretch asked that I take over because I shared so much passion for the event, and here I am 15 years later," Smith said.

Proceeds from the cook-off go to local organizations working against child abuse.

"I have some personal experience with child abuse growing up," Smith said. "I love knowing that I can pay it forward by being part of something like this. Hopefully the small part I play can help those local organizations continue doing what they do."

Smith said he met a lot of chili and barbecue cooks over the years.

"I have grown to love it," he said. "Them sharing their talents with me made me interested in trying it myself."

He said he now shares his growing barbecue skills with his family each Saturday.

Music has played a big part of Smith's life since the age of 7. At Kellyville High School, he earned the John Phillip Sousa Award for being the top band member. He earned a jazz scholarship at Northeastern State University. A church in Tahlequah gave him an outlet for his saxophone playing.

"There is no sheet music at that church. I had to learn to play by ear," he said.

Smith said Muskogee saxophonist Jermaine Mondaine encouraged him to keep playing at church. Smith said he joined worship team at Genesis Church several years ago.

Work on Cook-Off starts early

Robert Smith called the Chili and Barbecue Cook-off "a backyard barbecue fund-raising event to support our children."

He said he starts planning the April cook-off as early as September.

"In September, I hit the ground running," he said. "We get started with marketing ideas and dates. We start working on sponsorship ahead of time, try to get it locked in so we know how much our budget is."

They try to start registering, campaigning, recruiting and marketing in January, he said.

"I don't start stressing until a month out," he said. "A month out, cook teams start to fall in line. We start with 20 cook teams, and a month away we ramp up to 50 or more."

As the date nears, he meets with committees to make sure everything is covered.

"I am out on the site with my site coordinator and a large group of volunteers to help set up the event," he said.

Finding volunteers is the main challenge, he said. One reward is seeing how proceeds benefit the community.

"And two is continuing the legacy of what our founding members started," he said. "And making them proud to know that what they accomplished is still continuing today."

Smith upgrades his own barbecue

Smith likes experimenting when he does his own barbecue.

He said he tries different cuts of meats and types of seasonings. He said he joined the Kosmo's Q Lab seasoning company of Oklahoma City.

"Each month they give me a secret seasoning to sample," Smith said. "I give them a vote of 'keep' or 'kill.'"

Favorites include cherry chipotle, a coffee rub and a wild game rub, Smith said. Plenty of others didn't do so well.

"One that just didn't work at all was a buffalo hot wing rub," he said. "Another was a Korean rub that was just not good at all."

Smith said his best meats are ribs and brisket.

He said he starts cooking the Saturday dinner brisket on Friday evening.

"Depending on the weight of the brisket, it can take 15 to 20 hours," he said. "It's an hour, hour and a half per pound."

Smith said his ribs are cooked "three hours of just smoking, two hours wrapped in foil or butcher paper, and one hour in a foil boat where you put sauce on it."

Jazz provides foundation for improvisation

Smith said his foundation in jazz music helped give him confidence to improvise and play by ear. The praise and worship music at Genesis involves a lot of that, he said.

"Within the rules of music, I knew where I needed to stay within those boundaries," he said. "With the skills I learned in jazz improvisation, I learned how to express myself in praise and worship with my horn."

He said playing at the church gives him "a feeling of holiness, peace and joy and reverence to God."

"Where I feel I am connecting with God in an outlet of worship that is different than using words or physical motion," he said. "Music is a very powerful tool in the human psyche. It can really change your mindset from one that feels lost and alone to one that feels joyous and happy."

Smith said he feels moved when people tell him the music helps them feel God's presence.

HOW DID YOU COME TO BE AN OKIE FROM MUSKOGEE?

"I met my wife, Becky, at Northeastern State University. We were study partners together, and after we married, she lived here. So my first opportunity as a post graduate was working with Kathy Hewitt, CPA. Then, I ventured off on my own as a CFO at Advantage Controls, then moved on to Omni Valve in 2012.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT MUSKOGEE?

"I love the people that care for one another and support one another in trying to make Muskogee better, by sharing each others resources and talents. I experience that best through my experience with Exchange Club of Muskogee. Chili and Barbecue Cook-Off."

WHAT WOULD MAKE MUSKOGEE A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

"Recruiting more people with talents we may be missing in certain key areas. Trying to incentivize them to take part in growth.

WHAT PERSON IN MUSKOGEE DO YOU ADMIRE MOST?

"I will always give credit to Kathy Hewitt for believing in me as a young man in college. When I was an intern with her, hoping to get my career started, I looked up to her. She likes to call me her other son. She's a mom to me. I enjoy getting strength from her and her son, Mike Hewitt."

WHAT IS THE MOST MEMORABLE THING TO HAPPEN TO YOU IN MUSKOGEE?

"Last year, supporting the Muskogee High School football team in going to State. It was an amazing experience I think has really impacted our community and energized everyone in a very prideful way. We can come together as one community to support our students. When we put our heads together and our hearts together, we can really accomplish anything."

WHAT DO YOU DO IN YOUR SPARE TIME?

"My hobbies are smoking and barbecuing, spending time with my family, spending time in the community, connecting with my church.

HOW WOULD YOU SUM UP MUSKOGEE IN 25 WORDS OR LESS?

"A city with a long history of success that is on the precipice of becoming very successful in the near future with all the economic opportunities and community events."