When Rodney Smith rides the elevator down to the basement of Herrin Hospital today, he does so as a Vice President for Southern Illinois Healthcare (SIH) and Administrator for both Herrin Hospital and Harrisburg Medical Center. The journey to that position began decades earlier when, as a young boy growing up just blocks away, he would ride his bike to the same hospital for a much different purpose.

"One of our adventures was to ride our bikes to the hospital," Smith recalls of his childhood in Herrin. "We could get on the elevator and go to the basement where there was a canteen. We would go there and get vanilla pudding out of the vending machine."

This full-circle journey exemplifies Smith's deep roots in the community that raised him. A 1984 graduate of Herrin High School, Smith represents the continuation of a family legacy in the local school system that now spans four generations. His mother graduated from Herrin High School, as did Smith, his children, and now his grandchildren.

Growing up half a block from West Side Grade School, Smith describes his childhood as "fantastic"—a time before cell phones and the internet when neighborhood kids created their own fun. "We found our own way to have fun, and we probably did a lot of things that were pretty dangerous, but we survived," he laughs.

Smith credits several educators with shaping his future success. His sixth-grade teacher, Pat Will, created a classroom economic system complete with jobs, interviews, paychecks, and a student-run store. During Smith's interview for "bank president," Will offered advice that stayed with him throughout his career: "If you want this job, then act like you want it."

In high school, Smith wrestled, played football, and ran track. Coaches Bruce Jilek and Steve Bailie taught him valuable lessons about discipline and teamwork that would serve him well in his future leadership roles.

After graduating from Herrin High School, Smith began working for the Kroger company, where he would remain for 18 years, rising from stocking shelves to becoming a regional manager. During this time, he earned his bachelor's degree in organizational management from Oakland City University in Indiana.

Smith's healthcare career began approximately 28 years ago as a Human Resources Director at Harrisburg Medical Center. He later became President and CEO of that hospital before joining Herrin Hospital as Vice President and Administrator eight years ago. He eventually earned his MBA with a specialization in strategic planning from St. Joseph College in Maine and became a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, achieving board certification in healthcare management.

In his current role, Smith oversees both Herrin Hospital and Harrisburg Medical Center, along with system-wide responsibilities for rehabilitation, respiratory care, orthopedics, laboratory services, and food service—where he ensures they still serve vanilla pudding, though the canteen has moved to a different location.

"We have several good partnerships with the school system," Smith says, explaining how SIH provides athletic trainers for the schools, teaches health classes, and participates in career fairs. "The school system's a good community citizen. They care about the community. They care about the kids."

Smith maintains strong connections to Herrin High School, holding season tickets for both football and basketball games. Even when he doesn't personally know the student-athletes, he appreciates watching them compete, noting, "You see the results of what they're trying to teach these kids. They're teaching them respect and how to treat others...and you see that when they get to high school, because they're good humans by the time they get there."

Smith's personal life reflects his commitment to the community. Married to his wife Melissa for 39 years, they raised three college-educated daughters—a healthcare sales representative, a special education teacher, and a nurse—all of whom graduated from Herrin High School and continue to live in the area. The family legacy now extends to seven grandchildren, with two already attending Herrin schools.

Living on a small farm on the outskirts of town while working in the very hospital where he was born, Smith embodies the connection between Herrin's past and its future—a journey that has come full circle from those childhood elevator rides in pursuit of vanilla pudding to leading the healthcare institution that serves his hometown.