Carol Smith, Chief Nursing Executive and Chief Operating Officer for Southwell Medical in Adel and former Acute Care and Chief Nursing Officer for Tift Regional Medical Center, announced her retirement at the end of May.

“We are so thankful to Carol Smith for her years of service to Southwell,” said Chris Dorman, Southwell President and CEO. “She has helped us through many transitions over the years, and she was instrumental in helping our system get through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although we will miss her tremendously, we wish her well in her much deserved retirement.”

Smith joined Southwell in 2013 and has served for 44 years in various healthcare roles, including as an executive in various leadership roles at Cooley Dickinson Healthcare Corporation in Northampton, MA; King’s Daughters Medical Center in Ashland, KY; Meadows Regional Medical Center in Vidalia, GA; and Memorial Health University Medical Center and Candler General Center and Candler General Hospital in Savannah, GA. 

She has a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Georgia Southern University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Armstrong State University. In addition, she completed a Fellowship with Johnson & Johnson-Wharton Fellows Program in Management for Nurse Executives at the Wharton School and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics of the University of Pennsylvania.

In addition, to her years of service with Southwell, Smith also served on the board of Ruth’s Cottage and The Patticake House for the past three years, serving on the Strategic Planning Committee, Chair of the Sexual Assault Program Committee, and the Sexual Assault Nurse Examination Program Committee. During her time with Ruth’s Cottage and The Patticake House, she was very active in her support of a Capital Campaign that resulted in a new 11,000 square foot facility, and she was instrumental in helping the agency through the COVID-19 pandemic. She also served as Board Chair for the Tift College and Career Academy.

“I am grateful for the opportunity I had to serve with such a wonderful organization,” said Smith. “I worked with a great group of people that I will miss tremendously, but I do look forward to spending more time with family, especially my grandchildren.”  

Jay Carmichael, who currently serves as Chief of Staff for Southwell, will serve as Chief Operating Officer at Southwell Medical after Smith’s retirement. He has been with Southwell since 2016 and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Armstrong State University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.

“While I will miss everyone I worked with at Southwell Medical, I know Jay Carmichael will do a fantastic job,” said Smith. “I am leaving the hospital in great hands.”