Building People, Not Just Projects: The RiverWILD Way

When Reid and Jaclyn Smith founded RiverWILD in 2014, they wanted to do more than build structures—they wanted to build people. “From the beginning, our company was about doing things differently,” says Reid Smith. “We started a faith-based, culture-driven company where people could work with purpose. Construction, real estate, and agriculture are what we do, but they’re not why we do it.”

Based in eastern North Carolina, RiverWILD has grown into a vertically integrated company that handles every part of the real estate process—from land identification and acquisition to homebuilding, commercial construction, and property management.  

Their family of brands also includes Wilders, the agriculture arm focused on sustainable farm-to-plate products like Wagyu beef and Berkshire pork. “It’s really about creating meaningful work and lasting impact,” Reid says. “Our team is our family, and we love doing life together every day.” 

Jaclyn and Reid Smith (l. to r.) founded RiverWILD in 2014 and have guided the company as it has grown to include homebuilding, commercial construction, property management, and an agriculture arm with farm-to-plate products like beef and pork. 

Academy Overlook in downtown Clayton features more than 140 apartments with four different floor plans. RiverWILD built and manages this community. 

At the heart of everything RiverWILD does is a set of four core values, captured in the acronym WILD—Will to Win, Intentional Adaptability, Live Compassionately, and Disciplined Execution.  

“Those core values are our guiding light,” Reid explains. “They’re on our trucks, our shirts, even in our emails. When we say ‘StayWILD, it’s a reminder to live out those values every day.” 

Faith plays a central role in the company’s culture. RiverWILD’s nonprofit arm, OneCompassion, helps extend that faith into the community. The organization hosts events like OCFest, a free concert in Clayton that brings people together in worship and fellowship.  

“Our employees volunteer their time to serve,” Reid says. “It’s just a cool way to bring people together with no expectations other than to celebrate community.” 

That commitment to service also shows up inside the company. “Serving each other is part of living compassionately,” Reid explains. “It can be as simple as good communication or helping a teammate finish a job. We focus more on team success than individual success. It’s not about me—it’s about us.” 

While RiverWILD experienced rapid growth in its early years, Reid says their focus has shifted. “These days, we’re less focused on economic growth and more focused on growing our people and our culture,” he says. “That’s where the real wins are.” 

RiverWILD worked on the renovation and expansion project at Cooper Academy Elementary School located in Clayton. 

RiverWILD’s Martin Woods community in Smithfield features townhouses for rent and single family homes for sale. 

Reid also credits TowneBank as an important partner in RiverWILD’s success. “We would not be where we are as an organization without TowneBank,” he says. Greg Steele, TowneBank Greenville president, and Doug Huff, senior vice president and real estate loan officer, manage RiverWILD’s relationship. 

“Most of our relationship is on the commercial banking side, but we also use daily banking services. TowneBank has kept that community feel even as the banking world gets bigger. They still put relationships first, and we’re very grateful for that.” 

As for what’s next, Reid ponders. “I’m excited to see our people continue to grow,” he says. “And we’re really proud of our Wilders business and the sustainable products we’re producing here in eastern North Carolina. For us, it always comes back to faith, people, and purpose.” 

For more information, visit StayWild.com.