Jeff Smith has been named president and chief executive officer of the Baptist Foundation of Texas, effective Jan. 1.
The foundation’s board of directors unanimously selected Smith, the organization’s current vice president and general counsel.
Smith has served the foundation 10 years as a trust attorney and 10 years as general counsel.
He earned his undergraduate degree from Baylor University in 1985 and graduated from Baylor Law School in 1989.
He succeeds Lynn Craft, who will retire Dec. 31. Craft joined the foundation staff in 1968 and was named president in 1976.
His 36 years in the top leadership role at the foundation ranks him among the longest-tenured Texas Baptist agency heads in history, second only to R.C. Buckner, who served 40 years as founding president of what is now Buckner International.
During Craft’s time as president and CEO, the foundation’s assets under management grew from $123 million to $1.5 billion.
Craft will continue in a consulting role, working with staff and Baptist institutions on real estate, oil and gas, and financing matters.
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