Executive Vice President Smith Retires

(COLLEGE STATION) – Elvin E. Smith, Ph.D., executive vice president of The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center and a driving force in bringing medical education to Texas A&M University, was recognized for 30 years of outstanding leadership and service at a retirement reception on May 31 at the A&M Health Science Center’s headquarters in College Station.
A cardiac physiologist by training, Dr. Smith joined the Texas A&M medical faculty in 1975, as a founding member, as professor and head of the College of Medicine’s Department of Medical Physiology. Since that time, Dr. Smith has held numerous leadership positions in the college and The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center.
From 1976 to 1985, Dr. Smith was associate dean at the College of Medicine. He was named acting dean of the college for a period in 1977. In 1990, Dr. Smith was tapped as associate dean for research and graduate studies an appointment followed, two years later, with designation as executive associate dean of the College of Medicine and associate vice president for health affairs at Texas A&M University. After service in this capacity and in other leadership roles, Dr. Smith was named executive advisor to the president and executive vice president of The Texas A&M University System Health Science Center.
Dr. Nancy Dickey, president of the A&M Health Science Center and vice chancellor for health affairs for the A&M System, said of Dr. Smith: “He has had a great deal of impact on the development of medical education and health professional education in the A&M System. He’s been involved in all key decision-making in developing the A&M Health Science Center.”
Dr. Smith’s leadership has extended beyond the A&M Health Science Center and Texas A&M. He served as president of the American Heart Association in Texas and was recognized twice for distinguished service, receiving the Dwight D. Eisenhower Award and the first Scientist/Educator of the Year Award awarded by the American Heart Association. In 1998, he was awarded an Honorary Life Membership to the American Heart Association, Texas Affiliate, Board of Directors.
A native of Mississippi, Dr. Smith earned his bachelor of science, magna cum laude, from William Carey College in 1960. From 1960 through 1964, he was a Predoctoral Fellow in the department of physiology and biophysics, earning his Ph.D. from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 1964.
Dr. Smith is the author of numerous articles, and he was awarded numerous grants from the National Institutes of Health. He served on the editorial boards for the American Journal of Physiology and the Journal of Applied Physiology. He has served on the Governor’s Commission on Physical Fitness, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration task force for re entry countermeasures, and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, Health Science Center Advisory Committee.
Dr. Smith is married to Irma C. Cowad and they have two sons, Elvin E. Smith, III of Dallas, Texas and Forrest C. Smith of Cincinnati, Ohio.