In 1980, when Smits proposed to his wife, Syennie Watoelangkow (of royal blood) in Tomohon, North Sulawesi, he was surprised by the dowry: six sugar palms.
Smits has opened a palm sugar factory in Tomohon, managed by his brother Theo Smits, which uses as fuel leftovers from the state energy company Pertamina's geothermal gas production.