Birmingham native confirmed as trustee

Wayne Smith has been confirmed by the state Senate as an at-large member of the Auburn University Board of Trustees.

"It is a very humbling honor to be able to be on the board," Smith said. "I am excited about the opportunity."

Smith graduated from Auburn in 1968 with a degree in secondary education and received a master's degree in school administration in 1969. He then received a degree in healthcare administration at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas in 1972.

A Birmingham native, Smith now lives in Nashville, Tenn. He has been in Nashville for 17 years and is currently the chairman, president and CEO of Community Health Systems, which has 135 hospitals in 29 states.

Over the years, Smith has stayed involved at Auburn. He has been on the Foundation Board for five years and is also a member of the Auburn University Research Advisory Council.

Smith has also received awards for his involvement and with the University.

In 2011 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alumni Association.

Smith says he hopes to help the board by drawing from his personal experience gained throughout his career.

"I hope my many years in healthcare and that level of experience is helpful," Smith said. "I think you can draw a lot of comparables between healthcare and education and hopefully that will help as well."

Smith is happy with the direction the University is going in and says leadership is a big reason Auburn is such a great place.

"Auburn has a great faculty and that is a big reason we are bringing in such quality students," Smith said. "I think President Gogue is an outstanding president in every respect in terms of the job that he does."

Smith is looking forward to serving on the Board of Trustees.

"I have a lot to learn even though I have been around the University for a long time," Smith said. "I want to help Auburn continue to be the great university that it is."