Elizabeth Thalhimer Smartt represents the sixth generation of Thalhimers living in America. Her father’s family managed Thalhimers department stores, headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, for 150 years. At its height, the store had 26 locations across Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
Aside from writing the history of this illustrious business, Elizabeth has been an entrepreneur in her own right. As a freelance naming consultant, she has named products and companies for clients including Altria, DuPont, Electrolux, Cisco, and Wells Fargo. She graduated cum laude from Wake Forest University with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and earned a Masters degree in English from Virginia Commonwealth University. She currently lives in Richmond, Virginia, with her husband Ryan, two children, and pug Deacon.