Carla Smith is Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary of Dain Rauscher, a Minneapolis-based full-service regional securities brokerage and investment-banking firm recently acquired by the Royal Bank of Canada. She has management responsibility for the firm's legal and compliance departments and is a member of Dain Rauscher's 7-person executive team and board of directors.

Smith and two other Dain employees formed the Gay, Lesbian and Allied Dain Employees group, called GLADE, in 1999 and advocated successfully to have GLADE officially recognized by Dain's Executive Committee. GLADE has a visible presence in the community, regularly promoting Dain Rauscher at gay/lesbian events. Smith continues to co-chair the group and has been recognized publicly by Irving Weiser, the company's chairman and chief executive officer, for her commitment and contribution to the firm's diversity efforts.

With GLADE's presence, domestic-partner benefits were added to the company's policy last year. Smith has participated with Dain's Human Resources staff in the creation and delivery to senior managers of its Respectful Workplace Training program. She is a member of the Federal Club of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and OutFront Minnesota's Center Circle.

Carla J. Smith is one of the 2001 gfn.com 25, a listing by the Gay Financial Network of the 25 most influential out gay and lesbian executives in corporate America. She is also a member of the 2001 Corporate Committee for the Upper Midwest HRC.