Sam Smith at helm of Mercy Ships

Smith

Mercy Ships announced the appointment last week of Bullard resident and school board trustee Sam Smith as its Interim Chief Executive Officer.

"We are extremely pleased Sam has accepted our offer to take this leadership role for Mercy Ships. Sam's experience in marketing and branding has established a strong foundation for our future," said Mercy Ships Founder and President Don Stephens. "Sam's background in senior leadership with Fortune 500 organizations brings significant executive strength to Mercy Ships at a perfect time in our ministry."

The global faith based charity's headquarters are in Garden Valley and launched the new hospital ship Africa Mercy in 2007 to serve the worlds poorest with hope and healing.

Sam has nearly 20 years of experience in the area of brand and marketing development.

"Mercy Ships has established significant momentum in our goal of delivering hope and healing to the forgotten poor of the world," Smith said. "I am humbled by this opportunity to help lead what I consider the finest group of people engaged from all areas of the world.

"These wonderful people have been blessed to serve and have chosen a very powerful way to share their blessings with those less fortunate.

Smith has worked with some of the largest manufacturing and retail organizations in North America such as Macy's, Lord & Taylor, Marshall Fields, Dillard's, Hartmarx, and Jack Nicklaus.

He served as president of his own consulting firm, SheriJen, where he focused on developing brand, marketing, and training strategies for the retail community.

Sam joined Mercy Ships in May of 2007 as vice president of development, which included oversight of fundraising efforts that established a new record for donations in the U.S.

"I am honored to help lead Mercy Ships into our fourth generation of service with a renewed commitment to utilize the people and assets that God has graciously made available for our cause," Smith said. "Our goal will be to maximize the impact we can make on the medical infrastructure of Africa and beyond. This is our charge and may the example of Jesus be the light that will illuminate our path into the future."

According to Stephens, marketing and branding efforts have increased significantly during this time and Mercy Ships exposure to the world has seen a new level of visibility under his guidance.

Sam holds a bachelor of business administration degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.

He and his wife, Jill, have two children, Sheridan and Jensen, and they relocated back to East Texas after having lived in Northern California and Wheaton, Ill.

They attend the First Baptist Church of Bullard.

Mercy Ships is the leader in using hospital ships to deliver free world-class health care services to the forgotten poor.

Founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens, Mercy Ships has directly impacted over 2 million beneficiaries, with a value of over $700 million.

Some of the more notable achievements include: treating more than 212,000 people in village medical clinics, performing 32,500 surgeries, 183,000 dental treatments and completing more than 900 construction and agriculture projects.

Each year more than 1,600 short-term volunteers serve with Mercy Ships.