Ivan G. Osorio
Fred L. Smith, Jr., founder and long-time leading light of the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), recently passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family and friends. Fred’s place as a prime mover—or perhaps, a force of nature—in the libertarian movement is well known. Founding CEI out of his and his wife Fran’s apartment in 1984, he built the organization into a major font of ideas for market-friendly regulatory reform that carries on his work today.
Fred’s passion for ideas went beyond intellectual exercises. He was always interested in how ideas mattered to people’s lives. In his work, that translated into applying the ideas of liberty to public policy in practical and principled ways by reaching people on their own terms. “People don’t care what you know,” he’d often say, “until they know you care.”
I walked into that atmosphere he created when I joined CEI two decades ago as an editor before joining Cato last year. From editing a monthly newsletter, I managed to build CEI’s publications program into a major component of the institute, all thanks to the opportunity I got from Fred.
My experience wasn’t unique among those who worked with Fred. He cared about liberty because he cared about people. Like Julian Simon—after whom CEI named its famous award—Fred saw people as the ultimate resource, and he applied that belief in how he ran CEI. He was always curious to hear everyone’s opinions (even, or especially, when he didn’t agree) and saw potential in everyone who worked with him at one time or another. Fred’s curiosity extended beyond his work. He thought everyone, no matter where they came from, had a story to tell.
Most of all, though, being around Fred was, well … fun. True to his Louisiana roots, which he held dear, he believed in the freedom to Laissez les bon temps rouler.