Riva Smith

Growing up in south Florida, western North Carolina was a popular destination for residents to escape the heat and take advantage of the cooler mountain temperatures.  Riva’s first exposure to Cashiers was as a child during a family trip to the High Hampton Inn.  Many years later, Riva and her husband were invited to stay at a business colleague’s residence in Highlands.  After only a weekend, they were both hooked on the Plateau and vowed to make it their mission to ultimately retire [...]

Growing up in south Florida, western North Carolina was a popular destination for residents to escape the heat and take advantage of the cooler mountain temperatures.  Riva’s first exposure to Cashiers was as a child during a family trip to the High Hampton Inn.  Many years later, Riva and her husband were invited to stay at a business colleague’s residence in Highlands.  After only a weekend, they were both hooked on the Plateau and vowed to make it their mission to ultimately retire here.

That plan was first put in motion in 2013 when Riva and her husband purchased a second home overlooking Lake Glenville and became part-time residents of the area.  After circumstances changed with both of their Atlanta employers, Riva and her husband were only too glad to accelerate their “retirement” plan and move to the Plateau full-time in 2019.

Prior to relocating, Riva was employed for nearly 20 years as an Executive Assistant at an international company that licensed Olympic products.  She holds an MBA from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale and a BA from Tulane University in New Orleans.

When not working, Riva enjoys all that the area has to offer, including challenging hikes, breathtaking surroundings, fabulous dining and, of course, less traffic!