In Memory of Gary A. Smith, NBRC’s Former CEO

It is with a heavy heart and much sadness the NBRC announces the passing of Gary A. Smith, NBRC’s former CEO and executive director, on May 14, 2022. Gary was preceded in death by his wife of 50+ years, Kay Smith, in January of this year. Gary’s affiliation with respiratory care began in 1967 when he became an inhalation therapist. Gary was actively involved in the Georgia Society for Respiratory Care when he was a clinician and then became a member of the NBRC board of trustees and served as president in 1982. Soon thereafter, Gary joined the staff of the NBRC in 1983 as the associate executive director. Gary was instrumental in the implementation of the NBRC’s hierarchical examination structure and bringing the technician certification board under the NBRC umbrella. Gary is also credited with designing the NBRC’s first electronic integrated examination management system on the back of a cocktail napkin which allowed NBRC to take control of its examination development and administration processes in house and was the foundation for the NBRC’s wholly owned subsidiary, Applied Measurement Professionals (AMP). Gary was a founding member of the AMP board and then helped lead AMP to become a premier national testing agency providing examination development and administration services to over 100 professional and occupational certification organizations. Gary also led the charge to transition the NBRC’s examinations to computer-based delivery in 2000. In 2002, Gary became the executive director of the NBRC and CEO of AMP serving in that capacity until his retirement in 2017. During his tenure, AMP and the NBRC continued to grow and flourish. Gary helped position AMP to be sold in 2015 allowing the NBRC to solely focus on its mission and purpose of assuring the minimum competency of respiratory therapists. We are indebted to Gary for his vision, passion, thoughtful leadership and love of the respiratory care profession for nearly 50 years. Surviving are Gary’s two sons, Gary, Jr. and Bobby. Please keep them and their young families in your thoughts and prayers.