Dallas, TX – The venerable Craig Smith will retire this Fall as president of the U.S. audio-visual solutions division of Freeman, capping a career in the exhibition industry that began in the 1960s. Smith will step down on September 30 after working with Freeman in the selection of a successor, the company announced June 5.
Smith began working for Freeman in 1964 as a part-time employee of the company’s freight division, Sullivan Transfer Company. He joined Freeman full-time after graduating from college in 1969 and went on to become a national sales manager and later general manager of Freeman offices in Dallas and Atlanta.
After leaving Freeman in 1981 to become a senior vice president at Andrews Bartlett and Associates, Smith returned in 1995 to take over as president of the audio-visual unit. “Since Craig rejoined us, the U.S. audio visual division has grown significantly, acquiring many new high-profile accounts, and expanding its service capabilities to include full digital services, webcasting, entertainment and other enhancements,” said Don Freeman, the company’s chairman and CEO. Freeman offers audio-visual services in 32 North American cities at the exhibit level and for overall events.
Smith is active in several exhibition industry organizations and received Freeman’s annual Buck Freeman Award in 2002 for his contributions to the company during the previous year.
Reach Craig Smith at (214) 623-1300 or csmith@freemanco.com
