Michael Smith Appointed as New Board Chair of Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware

Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware is proud to announce the appointment of Michael Smith as Chair of the Board of Directors, effective April 2025. Smith, who has served on the Board since 2017 and most recently as Chair of the HR Committee, succeeds Mike Hare, who served as Board Chair with distinction from 2019 to 2025.

With a legacy of impactful leadership, Michael Smith brings deep expertise in strategic vision, organizational transformation, and enterprise-level initiatives. He previously served as Chief Human Resources Officer for Navient Corporation and currently works as an HR consultant with Korn Ferry. Smith’s time in corporate leadership has been marked by successful transformations in human capital strategy, data driven initiatives, and operational efficiency—qualities that align closely with the mission and efforts of Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware.

Throughout his career, Smith has led complex enterprise initiatives including the establishment of a People Analytics function at Sallie Mae, provided strategic leadership in guiding the vision, mission, goals and value at Navient, and facilitated major organizational changes including corporate divestitures, mergers, and ERP implementations. His ability to guide strategic transformation will be vital as the organization continues to grow its reach and impact in communities across the state.

"Mike’s passion for empowering people and building systems that foster growth makes him a natural leader," said John Wellons, President & CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Delaware. "He has been an instrumental member of our Board, and we look forward to his service in this role."

Also elected to leadership this term is Rick Deadwyler of Corteva Agriscience, who will serve as Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, and Jeff Mitchell of Siegfried Advisory who will serve as treasurer. Together, Smith, Deadwyler and Mitchell will work with the Board and executive team to expand access, deepen community partnerships, and elevate the programs that support over 30,000 children and teens throughout Delaware.