St. Baldrick’s Foundation Welcomes Pennsylvania Lumbermen’s Mutual Insurance Company President and CEO to its Board of Directors

Philadelphia, Pa. (April 20, 2021) – The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research grants, announces the appointment of John K. Smith, President and CEO at Pennsylvania Lumbermen’s Mutual Insurance Company (PLM), to its board of directors.
Smith has long been a supporter of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation and its mission to conquer childhood cancer. After years of volunteering, Smith and his wife, Julie Smith, shaved their heads at the annual NAMIC Brave the Shave St. Baldrick’s Head-shaving Event in 2016.

“I’m happy to be giving my time and resources to an organization that is so positive and uplifting, when a topic like cancer is often difficult to talk about,” Smith said. “As a father and grandfather, I understand the urgency families are feeling in wanting to give their children the best opportunities, especially if they are diagnosed with cancer. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation has become an essential presence and advocate for the pediatric cancer community and has been the reason why there has been a consistent progression in research. I look forward to being part of such an incredible organization.”

Smith has over 40 years of insurance experience, working in various P&C insurance companies, before joining PLM in 1998. Under his leadership PLM has grown from a tertiary regional player in the lumber and wood products niche, to the market leader in this segment. Active in the insurance and wood-related industries, John has served on several boards of directors, where he has been able to share the knowledge and expertise he has gained over his career. He is currently President of the Board of Trustees of Gamma Iota Sigma, member of the Fox School of Risk & Insurance Industry Advisory Council, member of the Board of the Hardwood Federation and its Political Action Committee (PAC), Chairman of the Mary G. Roebling Foundation, and the Treasurer of West Trenton Presbyterian Church.

John holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce from Rider University and a Master in Business Administration degree from the University of Pittsburgh. A lifelong learner, John has obtained several professional designations, including: Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU), Certified Insurance Counselor (CIC), Associate in Reinsurance (ARe), and Certified Risk Manager (CRM). He is currently working on his Associate in Risk Management (ARM) designation. John’s commitment to the wood and insurance industries has been recognized numerous times and, most recently, he was named Franklin Award Winner, an honor given through the Philadelphia CPCU Society and the Insurance Society of Philadelphia.

“John has been an steadfast supporter of St. Baldrick’s, so his leadership on the board will deepen our roots in the insurance industry,” said Kathleen Ruddy, St. Baldrick’s Foundation CEO. “John’s passion for the mission is fueling new connections in the lumber and related industries also, creating a more diverse geographical reach for the St. Baldrick’s community.”

To learn more about St. Baldrick’s, visit www.StBaldricks.org, and connect on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube.

About St. Baldrick’s Foundation
Every 2 minutes a child somewhere in the world is diagnosed with cancer. In the U.S., 1 in 5 will not survive. The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research grants, is on a mission to give kids a lifetime by supporting the most promising research to find cures and better treatments for all childhood cancers. When you give to St. Baldrick’s, you don’t just give to one hospital – you support virtually every institution with the expertise to treat kids with cancer across the U.S. St. Baldrick’s ensures that children fighting cancer now — and those diagnosed in the future — will have access to the most cutting-edge treatment, by supporting every stage of research, from new ideas in the lab to the development of new therapies, to life-saving clinical trials. Join us at StBaldricks.org and help #GiveKidsaLifetime.

###