NewsNov 11, 2024
Dual Duty: Select Medical CEO Thrives in Military and Corporate Leadership
There’s no holding Lorraine Smith back in her private- or public- duty life. On both paths, her passion for helping people and hard work has catapulted her to the top. She is CEO of Regency Hospital – Macon, GA and, this summer, took the mantle of division command sergeant major. She is the first woman in over 100 years to assume this role in the 1st Mission Support Command.
Of the many military roles Lorraine has held, she said being a young team leader while deployed in Iraq made the biggest impact teaching her a myriad of life lessons. Most importantly, she learned “how to take care of [her] team and accomplish the mission.”
Lorraine’s military leadership experiences paved the way to similar roles in health care, she added that both fields have a common denominator – they deal with life and death issues. Her military experiences frequently guide Lorraine’s decision making as CEO. “My leadership experience (and mistakes) started in the military. I was able to take what I learned from those experiences and apply them early on in my civilian job,” she said. Lorraine emphasizes the importance of teamwork and trusting your team as a skill carried over to her CEO role from her military experience.
Lorraine works hard to continuously convey her core values of integrity, duty, respect and selfless service while learning how to overcome hardships and challenges. “I have gotten through many hardships in the military by staying positive,” she said. “It keeps your mind clear to solve problems; negativity is consuming and it is difficult to change the trajectory of that mindset.”
Lorraine strives to create a culture at Regency where “everyone can be their best and do the most.” She has done this through teaching, mentoring and removing obstacles wherever possible.
“I believe that communication, transparency and accountability are the keys to driving change within an organization and it holds true for both of my roles,” she said.
Lorraine’s work allows her to follow her passion of serving others, both in the military and with Select Medical. She credits her success in both roles to the support of her “teams” – family, work and military. Her hospital team and regional leadership understand the importance of her service and are extremely supportive. Lorraine also has the support of her children whom she hopes learn by example the value of hard work and the importance of serving others.
Select Medical Salutes our Military
Regency Hospital’s parent company, Select Medical, strongly supports active-duty military, veterans and military spouses. In fact, Lorraine frequently recommends Select Medical to her military brethren.
Select Medical is a champion of military hiring; two percent of its 45,000 employee work force are veterans. The company is also part of RecruitMilitary. Select Medical’s recruiters actively participate in regular military hiring events offering both clinical and corporate career opportunities nationwide for transitioning soldiers and their spouses. The company also offers a veteran mentorship program which provides opportunities for growth and career success. Working with the American Corporate Partners, Select Medical connects veterans and military spouses with corporate mentors for career support.