Who We Are

It all began in 1978, when after 40 years in healthcare human resources,
B. E. “Pete” Smith was ready for a change.

His extensive experience in human resources led Pete to form B. E. Smith Associates, a general human resources consulting firm. It was not long before Pete was asked to execute a recruitment assignment for a client, which was concluded successfully. Over time, Pete became a specialist in healthcare search, setting the stage for the company’s exciting future.

Along the way, he employed his son Doug on a part-time basis. Doug joined B. E. Smith Associates full-time in 1984 after graduating with an MBA from Emporia State University. While working for B. E. Smith Associates, Doug returned to school and graduated with a master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Kansas. With dauntless determination and a will to succeed, Doug helped expand the organization, leading him to purchase the firm from his father in 1996.

Doug created a new vision for the firm, building it from a small, boutique shop to a large firm capable of handling searches nationwide. As demand for B. E. Smith’s services grew, so did the firm.

In 2001, B. E. Smith expanded its services to include Interim Leadership services, involving the placement of leadership personnel in healthcare provider organizations on 90-day or longer assignments. This division of the company has doubled since its inception.

With the growing demand for executive leaders, both domestically and internationally, B. E. Smith in 2007 expanded its executive leadership solutions offerings to include Global Services and Consulting.

Today, B. E. Smith Associates is simply B. E. Smith. The firm has earned one of the best reputations in the healthcare industry for Executive Search and Interim Leadership services. Our goal is to play a positive and pivotal role in the delivery of healthcare services by improving the lives of patients and all those involved in the delivery of patient care.