Bill Smithwick

Providing hope and healing to Kentucky's abused and neglected children.

Dr. William "Bill" K. Smithwick joined Sunrise Children's Services in April 1997 as the agency's president and chief executive officer. He previously held the position of assistant executive director for programs and administration for Virginia Baptist Children's Home and Family Services.

Bill earned a doctor of ministry degree from St. Mary's Seminary and University in Baltimore; a bachelor of arts degree and a master of business administration degree from Averett College in Danville, Va.; and a master of divinity degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C.

He has a wealth of experience working with programs to help troubled children, having served as chaplain of Virginia Baptist Children's Home and Family Services prior to taking on the administrative role he had there. He also worked for a three-year period as a management consultant for Southeastern Employers Services Co. in Bristol, Tenn.

The Bowling Green, Fla., native has also held student, bi-vocational and full-time pastorates in Virginia Baptist churches.

He is married to Dawn and has three children: Brannan, Holly and Bryce. The Smithwicks are members of Walnut Street Baptist Church in Louisville, Ky., where Bill often supplies in the pulpit.