PHILADELPHIA (April 25, 2011) - At a special meeting held last week, the Saint Joseph’s University Board of Trustees voted to appoint John W. Smithson ’68, MBA ’82 as the University’s interim president.

Smithson, who currently serves as senior vice president at Saint Joseph’s, will assume the interim presidency on May 18, following the departure of the University’s current president, Timothy R. Lannon, S.J., who is leaving to become president of Creighton University in Omaha, Neb.

Smithson served as a University Trustee from 1999-2007 and Board Chair from 2003-2007. He has been serving as senior vice president at the University since February 2010. Previously, he held the position of senior vice president at Towers Watson Reinsurance and, he was also the CEO and President of PMA Capital Corporation. 

Concurrently, the Presidential Search Committee is continuing the search process to find a permanent successor to Fr. Lannon.  Earlier this year, in January, the Board had elected Father Joseph O’Keefe, S.J., who at the time was dean of the School of Education at Boston College, to succeed Fr. Lannon. However, he withdrew after learning that he had some serious medical issues.

The Board appointed Smithson following a series of meetings with members of the campus community — students, faculty, staff and alumni— who shared their views on the selection of the University’s interim president.

In a message to the University community announcing Smithson’s appointment, Board Chair Paul J. Hondros ’70 wrote, “As a result of his deep engagement with Saint Joseph’s, John possesses a deep and holistic understanding of the University’s mission and history, its short-term needs and its long-term goals…Most importantly, John has a demonstrated respect for and understanding of student and faculty needs.”

He also expressed the Board’s confidence that under Smithson’s interim leadership, the University’s “key initiatives will continue to move forward.”