SMI Announces New Chairman of the Board

Scituate, MA (January 13, 2015):    The Strategic Marketplace Initiative (SMI®), a non-profit, member-driven organization of healthcare supply chain executives, announces Jim Francis  as the new Chairman of the Board of Directors for a two-year term effective January 1, 2015. 

Mr. Francis is currently Division Chair of Supply Chain Management at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and has been a member of SMI for ten years and a board member for 8.  Francis will lead the SMI Board of Directors, currently comprised of 12 executives who help shape the strategic direction of SMI and it’s over 100 members from the nation’s most influential hospitals and manufacturers/suppliers in the healthcare supply chain industry.  Francis follows Steve Gundersen, Vice President/General Manager for BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) who served as Chairman from 2013 – 2014.

Tom Hughes, Executive Director of SMI said, “To have Jim Francis, as our new Chairman, is truly an honor for the staff and members of SMI.  Jim’s extensive experience in healthcare supply chain management along with his vision and leadership will greatly benefit SMI and the entire healthcare supply chain industry.    I would also like to graciously thank and acknowledge the many contributions of our past Chair, Steve Gundersen from BD.”

Commenting on this new opportunity, Jim Francis said, “As a long-time member of SMI, I truly support their mission and value the many contributions this unique organization has made over the past decade.  I look forward to working with the entire Board of Directors, staff of SMI and the membership as we strive to improve and positively impact the healthcare supply chain industry.” 

The mission of SMI is to bring both providers and suppliers together, in a collaborative, non-competitive environment to help improve and shape a more efficient and improved healthcare supply chain.  To learn more about SMI, its mission and its members, visit:  www.smisupplychain.com.