Christopher Smitherman  Christopher E.C. Smitherman (born July 16, 1967) is an American politician and businessman serving as the Vice Mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio. An Independent, Smitherman is currently a member of the Cincinnati City Council and the Cincinnati Planning Commission. Smitherman is the former president of the Cincinnati NAACP, serving from April 2007 to January 2014. Since 2013, Smitherman has chaired the Law and Public Safety Committee, giving him jurisdiction to oversee all city issues related to Police; Fire; Safety Policies; Citizen Complaint Authority; Liquor Licenses; and Public Services. Smitherman was born on July 16, 1967, in Cincinnati, Ohio. His father, Dr. Herbert Smitherman, was a chemist and the first African-American with a PhD hired at Procter & Gamble (P&G). His mother, Mrs. Barbara Smitherman, was a teacher and administrator at Cincinnati Public Schools. Smitherman has five siblings – one sister and four brothers. Raised Catholic, Smitherman attended St. Mark Elementary for primary school. Smitherman then became a product of Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS), attending the School for Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA) in Cincinnati, Ohio. After graduating, Smitherman attended The Ohio State University (OSU) where he earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. After completing his undergraduate program, Smitherman moved to Bowling Green, Ohio, to attend Bowling Green State University (BGSU) where he obtained a master's degree in counseling. It was at BGSU that Smitherman met his wife, Pamela. Throughout his time in college, Smitherman worked as a resident advisor (RA) and, in 1990, Smitherman accepted full-time employment as a hall manager at BGSU. While studying for his master's, Smitherman began hosting a workshop called "Let's Talk About Race." Smitherman is a Financial Planner and small business owner. He has owned and operated his financial planning practice since returning to Cincinnati in 1997. In 2009, Smitherman purchased the old Bond Hill Library and relocated his financial planning office to the building located in Bond Hill, Cincinnati. As a financial planner, Smitherman focuses on helping his clients gain wealth through systematic savings, life insurance, and estate planning. Pamela M.T. and Christopher E.C. Smitherman married in 1990 and, in 1997, returned to Cincinnati and settled in the neighborhood of North Avondale.