The Clock Doctor, Lawrence Smathers, is a member of the National Association of Watch & Clock Collectors (NAWCC) and the American Watch & Clock Institute (AWCI) where he has taken classes in clock repair & maintenance.

The Clock Doctor completed the Gem City College Clock Repair Program in January 2025.

Prior to clock repair he served in the US Navy from 1998-2012 as an Aviation Structural Mechanic specializing in H-60 helicopter.

In 2012 he moved over to the US Air Force as a Hydraulic Technician where he worked on the C-5 cargo plane & the KC-135 in flight re-fueling aircraft.

After 20 years of military service he retired in 2018. Following military retirement he completed a degree in Orthotics & Prosthetics at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology (OSUIT).