CLAYTON - When Michael Smith began hanging out at the local pizza joint in High Point after school, he thought it might be nice to get paid for it.

So Smith, who was born with one hand, signed on as a dishwasher. By the ripe old age of 17, he was the restaurant’s manager, having fallen in love with the idea of making food in house with fresh ingredients.

Ten years later, Smith became a Zaxby’s owner. He had been a Zaxby’s district manager before he and his wife bought the Clayton restaurant. They added the Smithfield restaurant to the family portfolio a year later.

The two Johnston County eateries are known for their customer service and community involvement – efforts that have recently garnered awards. Last month, the Clayton restaurant was named Small Business of the Year by the Clayton Chamber of Commerce. Last week, Smith and his wife received the Jimmy Creech Small Business Person of the Year award from the Smithfield-Selma Chamber of Commerce.

“I think it’s kind of amazing that both chambers selected him,” said Rick Childrey, director of the Smithfield-Selma Chamber.

At the Clayton chamber banquet, Derrick Thompson, Smith’s vice president of marketing, introduced the winner by describing his self-motivation and his many charitable endeavors. Nearly the whole room looked at Smith as Thompson spoke of how engaged a certain business owner had become with local charities, town events and chamber activities.

“He stole our hearts with amazing customer service and good food,” Thompson said. “He stole our hearts by helping every group that exists in Clayton.”

Smith’s belief that community members should help one another comes from experience. Growing up with just one hand, Smith often heard that he couldn’t do this or that.

“I didn’t like it when someone told me I couldn’t do something and judged me for what I have or didn’t have,” Smith said. “I kept in my heart that I was never going be someone who was that way.”

Norwood Williams, who nominated Smith for the Smithfield-Selma chamber award, said the restaurant owners are major supporters of Johnston Community College, where they’ve created a special education scholarship and sponsor the performing-arts series. Also, they’ve raised money for the Lovely Ladies of Smithfield, a breast cancer awareness group. And they serve free meals to military veterans on Memorial Day and Veterans Day.

“I believe in taking care of your neighbor, and other business owners and people in the chamber, they’re neighbors,” Smith said.

Such consideration for others is what led the Clayton chamber to honor him and also what led to a standing ovation when he went to accept his plaque.

“I have two young kids,” Smith said. “If anything ever happened to me and my wife, I hope that someone would be there to pick up the pieces. That’s who we try to be. We try to be the people who pick up the pieces.”

Staff writer Colin Campbell contributed to this report.