Bernard C. Radde Distinguished Service Award: Joan Smith

The Bernard C. Radde Distinguished Service Award was presented to Joan Smith in 2016.

Joan Smith was tapped three years ago to serve as Chairman of Lake Michigan College’s Campaign for Tomorrow, which is projected to exceed its goal of raising $7.5 million in private support for emerging careers, student success, and community engagement.

LMC Foundation Board President Jeff Curry added, “Joan successfully guided this important fund-raising campaign, and, as a result, our students will be better-served, our programs stronger and the College is better positioned to help move our region forward.” 

She has served on the Board of Directors of the Lake Michigan College Foundation since 2010, and her advocacy for the college is driven by concern about support for underprepared students; she believes that “LMC is helping in a very sophisticated way.” Mrs. Smith, along with her business partner, Ann Dahmer, started Smith Dahmer Associates (SD) over 25 years ago based on the simple values of integrity, responsibility, hard work – and fun. Over the years, Joan has been a tireless cheerleader for work that is guided by those values, and a champion for leveraging people’s strengths to deliver the best work for SD’s clients.

She was raised in Cleveland Heights, Ohio and then graduated from Bowling Green State University, Ohio with a BA in the Liberal Arts. Later in her career she received a Master of Arts in Business Management from Nazareth College in Kalamazoo. Mrs. Smith is married to Jim Smith and has three grown step-kids and three grandchildren. She resides in St. Joseph.