Schneck Medical Center recently announced Rick Smith, chairman of the Seymour hospital’s board of trustees, has been appointed to the American Hospital Association’s Committee on Governance as an at-large member.

In this national leadership role, he will focus on the development of policies to represent, guide and assist the nation’s hospitals and foster grassroots advocacy and policy development among trustees at the AHA. His three-year term begins Jan. 1.

Smith was appointed as a member of the Schneck board of trustees in 1998 and chairman in 2011. He also serves on the board of the Schneck Foundation and is a former member of the Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. board.

Smith spent 30 years in the commercial banking sector of the financial institution industry as a financial analyst, credit administration and commercial underwriting before retiring in 2014.

He also has been involved in community organizations, including Boy Scouts, West Point Parents Club of Indiana, Seymour High School football, wrestling and band parents clubs, Seymour Presbyterian Church, adult Sunday school teacher, Masonic Lodge, Order of Eastern Star and Jackson County United Way Day of Caring.

The AHA is the national organization that represents and serves all types of hospitals, health care networks and their patients and communities. Nearly 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, other providers of care and 43,000 individual members come together to form the AHA.

Founded in 1898, the organization provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends.