伊万,我. 小史密斯,.

Business Owner – 社区 Leader

伊万,我. 小史密斯,. was born on June 15, 1946 in Atlanta, Texas. In 1953, his 家庭 moved to Shreveport where he attended Creswell Elementary, Broadmoor Junior High and graduated from Byrd High School in 1964. He came to HSU on an athletic scholarship. He was active on campus activities, serving on the Nix Council, 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, majoring in economics and finance.

A major influence in his life has been Dr. Elmin豪厄尔, a 1952 graduate of HSU, who became a significant mentor of Ivan’s early life and continues in that role today.

Since his graduation, his successful life has been focused on his faith, 家庭, 业务, service and leadership.

In 1968, Ivan began working for his father at 伊万•史密斯 Furniture. 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 Furniture locations and four Ashley 首页store locations located in East Texas, 阿肯色州南部, North and Central Louisiana. In 2005 the company built a 130,000平方英尺, state-of-the-art distribution center in Shreveport and in 2015, expanded the distribution center, doubling the capacity for inventory.

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, which feeds 500 families for a week. 伊万•史密斯 Furniture, now led by Ivan’s sons, 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, they sponsor the Caddo Parish Safety Town, 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. In the last few years, 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, including Volunteers of America, 商誉行业, 高地中心, Commercial National Bank (now Regions), 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.

His company has received the 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, into the HSU 领袖堂.