CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SmithBucklin, the association management and services company more organizations turn to than any other, announced today that Henry Givray will transition out of his role as President and CEO on Dec. 31, 2015. Though Givray will continue to be Chairman of the SmithBucklin Board of Directors, it will be in a non-executive role. He will also continue to facilitate and manage both the Leadership Institute and the Leadership Learning Forum, two intensive, high-impact programs he created. The former is a six-month experience for board members of SmithBucklin client organizations. The latter is a 12-month program for top-performing SmithBucklin employees. In addition to these two programs, beginning in 2016 Givray intends to focus even more of his time and energy on helping to grow leaders.
Effective Jan. 1, 2016, SmithBucklin Executive Vice President Matt Sanderson will be appointed President and CEO of the company. Sanderson currently serves as chief executive of the SmithBucklin Business + Trade Industry Practice, the largest of three in the company. He leads all aspects of the practice, including strategy, client organization service delivery and performance, talent development and acquisition, operational excellence and financial management.
Givray has been CEO of SmithBucklin since August 2002 when he rejoined the company after a six-year stint leading two technology companies. During his 13 years with SmithBucklin from 1983 to 1996, Givray served as chief staff executive for a variety of client associations in addition to handling other corporate responsibilities.
Fulfilling his vision and dream to make SmithBucklin a 100-percent-employee-owned company, Givray led the transfer of the company’s ownership from its financial investors to its employees in 2005. The SmithBucklin Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) allows every employee, regardless of position, tenure or compensation, an equal opportunity to acquire ownership in the company.
“Matt has earned the trust, respect and confidence of our employees, clients and industry colleagues. He exemplifies the SmithBucklin commitment to both client stewardship and the success of the volunteers we serve,” Givray said. “In 2016 and beyond, I look forward to working with and supporting Matt in my role as Chairman as he, our management team and the entire SmithBucklin staff build upon the great and important work we perform on behalf of our client organizations.”
Sanderson has more than 20 years of business development, strategy and leadership experience. He joined SmithBucklin in 2010 and previously served as executive vice president of the Print Services & Distribution Association, a trade association focused on the reseller supply chain for print, marketing and business communications. In addition, he has worked with many client organizations across a range of industries, often focusing on growth strategies and performance improvement.
“Those who know SmithBucklin understand what a truly special place it is,” Sanderson said. “I am honored to have this opportunity and am fully committed to our people and to each of our client organizations. SmithBucklin's mission is to achieve the missions of the organizations we serve and I look forward to working hard, along with our individual employees, teams and boards, to generate collective success.”
Prior to joining SmithBucklin, Sanderson served as a director with Sikich Investment Banking (formerly Levi Littell Herbst & Company) where he counseled businesses engaged in acquisitions and other financial transactions. It was at Sikich that Sanderson first worked with SmithBucklin when it hired his firm for corporate work. Givray later recruited Sanderson to join SmithBucklin.
Sanderson holds a Master of Business Administration in finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Pomona College in Claremont, Calif.
About SmithBucklin
SmithBucklin is the association management and services company more organizations turn to than any other. Founded in 1949, the company’s mission is to achieve the missions of the client organizations it serves and provide uncompromised stewardship for their long-term prosperity. SmithBucklin offers full-service management and high-impact specialized services to trade associations, professional societies, technology user groups, industry consortia, charitable organizations, corporations and government institutes. SmithBucklin’s offices are located in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Old Lyme, Conn., St. Louis and San Ramon, Calif., and the SmithBucklin + MCI Worldwide Partnership provides client organizations with seamless association and event management services from more than 40 offices throughout the world. The company is 100 percent employee-owned. For more information, please visit smithbucklin.com or call 1-800-539-9740.
