伊万,我. 小史密斯,.

企业主-社区领袖

伊万,我. 小史密斯,. 1946年6月15日出生于德克萨斯州的亚特兰大. In 1953, his 家庭 moved to Shreveport where he attended Creswell Elementary, Broadmoor Junior High and graduated from Byrd High School in 1964. 他是靠体育奖学金来大的. 他积极参加校园活动, 在尼克斯议会任职, a member of Sigma Delta Sigma and as a member of the track team. He graduated from Hardin Simmons University in 1968 with a 业务 degree, 主修经济和金融.

在他的一生中，对他产生重大影响的是约翰. Elmin豪厄尔, 1952年毕业于哈佛大学, who became a significant mentor of Ivan’s early life and continues in that role today.

自从他毕业后, his successful life has been focused on his faith, 家庭, 业务, 服务与领导.

In 1968, Ivan began working for his father at 伊万·史密斯家具. He bought the 业务 from his dad in 1976 and began expanding his locations with an average of about one store a year. Today the company has 43 伊万·史密斯家具 locations and four Ashley 首页。store locations located in East Texas, 阿肯色州南部, 路易斯安那州北部和中部. 2005年，该公司建造了一辆130,000平方英尺, state-of-the-art distribution center in Shreveport and in 2015, 扩大配送中心, 库存能力翻倍.

Smith helped sponsor a Children and Youth Program for the less fortunate in Minden, Louisiana. In the early years of Shreveport/Bossier 社区 Renewal, Ivan was one of the primary supporters. 另外, Ivan was a major sponsor of the Thanksgiving Blessing at the 高地中心, 500个家庭一周的食物. 伊万·史密斯家具, 现在由伊凡的儿子们领导, provides an annual fish fry to all area law enforcement. The company supports the Shreveport Independence Bowl by providing 200 tickets for veterans. 另外, 他们赞助了卡多教区安全镇, which teaches safety for public and private schools. Ivan has sponsored medicine for “SHIP” (Support Humanitarianism through Intercontinental Projects) that has gone to Kenya, 非洲, and an occasional medical mission trip taken by doctors and medical students. 在过去几年里, Ivan became one of the major sponsors of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes of Northwest Louisiana.

Mr. Smith has served on and/or chaired several boards, 包括美国志愿者, 商誉行业, 高地中心, 国家商业银行(现地区), Retail Merchants Association and Hardin Simmons University Board of Trustees. In 1984, he served in Zimbabwe, 非洲, rebuilding missionary housing in the bush country.

他的公司收到了J. Pat Beaird Industry of the Year Award and the Torch Award from the Better Business Bureau. Ivan received the Junior Achievement of North Louisiana Business Hall of Fame Award, the North Louisiana Track and Field Hall of Fame Award and the Hardin-Simmons Distinguished 校友 Award. 另外, he received the Harry Blake Humanitarian Civil Rights Award and the America Humanitarian Award from The Volunteers of America.

In 2000, Smith was recognized as one of the top ten leaders of the new century in the Shreveport community. He received the Byrd High School Hall of Fame Award in 2013, and in 2015 the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce Business Leader of the Year Award. Ivan was the recipient of the 2017 Distinguished American Award from the National Football Foundation.

As a member of the First Baptist Church in Shreveport, Smith has served as Chairman of the Deacons, the Finance Committee and Personnel Committee, and as Vice Chairman of the Pastor 搜索 Committee. He was given the Patriot Award from First Baptist Church School where he served four terms on the Board of Trustees and coached basketball for many years.

Ivan married Gloria Greenlee in 1967 and they have four children – Lisa, 特雷, Emily and Jonathan – and eight grandchildren with number nine due in August.

For his distinguished service as a 业务 executive and community leader, it is a high honor for Hardin-Simmons University to induct one of its own, 伊万•史密斯, 进入哈佛大学领导大厅.