As a healthcare executive with over 25 years experience in Supply Chain Management, Ed Smith provides leadership and vision for The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). The Academic mission of the Medical Center is comprised of 6 medical schools which include the School of Medicine, School of Nursing, School of Dentistry, School of Pharmacy, School of Health Related Professions and the School of Graduate Health Studies.  The Research mission is driven by the internationally renowned Guyton Scientific Research Center.  The Health System of the Medical Center has 4 hospitals on the main campus which include the State’s only Children’s Hospital, the Critical Care Hospital, the Hospital for Women and Infants and the University Hospital.  There are numerous clinics and other services throughout the State.

As Executive Director of Supply Chain Management, Mr. Smith reports directly to the Health System’s Chief Operating Officer for the healthcare business units and the Associate Vice Chancellor of Administrative Affairs for the academic and research business units.  Mr. Smith has successfully developed and deployed a consolidated supply chain model by combining several departments and functions that previously reported to various senior leaders.  During his first year at UMMC, Ed led several significant projects such as transitioning to a different primary distributor, realigned with a new GPO partner, selected a new campus-wide out-sourced food service management partnership that focused not only on patient care but student and faculty retail outlets, implemented a Value Analysis Program with 8 sub-specialty committees and completed an orthopedic implant standardization project that netted over $3 million in savings.  In total, his team delivered nearly $10 million is cost savings initiatives in the first 14 months.

Prior to his tenure with UMMC, Mr. Smith worked as a Senior Industry Specialist for CSC’s Healthcare Solutions Group for over 7 years.  In this role, he was the Supply Chain project manager for one of Catholic Health Initiatives’ Lawson implementation projects as well as Corporate Director of Supply Chain Management for MedStar Health in Columbia, Maryland. Before his work with CSC, he designed and implemented several projects to consolidate the supply chain functions with multiple hospitals into a single service center.

Mr. Smith is an active member of AHRMM, receiving and renewing his CMRP certification. He currently serves on the Education Task Force and led an AHRMM affiliated chapter in Maryland.  During his term as President of the Maryland Society for Healthcare Materials Management (MSHMM), MSHMM became the first chapter to be awarded the Gold Level Chapter Affiliation award, which the chapter then received for 3 consecutive years. Mr. Smith is a member of the leadership advisory council for UHC/Novations.

Mr. Smith began his career in healthcare supply chain with a very humble beginning.  Early in 1983, he accepted a minimum wage position as warehouse clerk while pursuing his undergraduate degree.  Since then he has progressed through the ranks, opening new hospitals, serving as corporate manager of materials management information systems, holding several senior leadership positions with LifeMark, AMI, Epic Health, HealthTrust, Columbia/HCA, PhyCor and Quorum Health.