Wayne Smith
Business Executive. Legislative Leader. Trade Association President.
Wayne Smith has been integral to public policy making in Delaware since the early 1990’s.
First elected at the age of 28, Wayne was selected as House Majority Leader by his colleagues at the age of 34, a leadership position he held through retirement from the General Assembly. His record of leadership helped reshape the state’s tax rates and code, reconfigure the education system to produce schools closer to parents and students, and successfully craft a business environment conducive to growth and opportunity.
Concurrent with service in the General Assembly, Wayne Smith enjoyed an early career in banking and moved to become the number two executive at George & Lynch, a large and highly respected general contractor.
Asked to run the Delaware Healthcare Association and lead the trade group representing the state’s hospitals and health care facilities, he worked to make sure effective and quality health care from stable providers described Delaware.
Delaware Healthcare Association Board Chair Penny Short (President of TidalHealth Nanticoke Hospital) lauded his service. “Over Wayne’s tenure and with his leadership, we’ve maintained a very positive environment in which to deliver hospital services. Wayne leaves a strong association with dedicated and talented staff,” she said.
A student of history, Wayne Smith has been active in promoting Delaware’s contributions to our society and nation. Notably, he founded the Delaware Civil War Society, which raised money to erect a state monument at Gettysburg National Military Park. He also helped commission the statue The Delaware Continentals which graces the eastern side of Legislative Hall.
Wayne graduated from the University of Delaware and holds two master’s degrees from the University of Pennsylvania. He has taught as adjunct faculty for fifteen semesters at the University of Pennsylvania on finance, political campaigns, and the art of politics.
He has traveled to all fifty states, and his family continue to enjoy travel, often by way of our nation’s National Parks. Active in scouting with his children, he has led cub scout dens, served on the board of the state’s Boy Scout organization, and founded and led his daughters’ girl scout troop.
