Barbara J. "B. J." Reaves Smith has been selected as the new Director of Food Service for ARAMARK at Abraham Baldwin College. Her responsibilities include the Donaldson Dining Hall, the J. Lamar Branch Student Center Snack Bar, and catering. ARAMARK is the world's largest collegiate food service provider.
Smith, who has a strong background in the development and implementation of customer relations, promotional programs, and marketing, is the former Director of Food Service at Georgia State University in Atlanta. Smith's career experience also includes positions as the owner of her own special events and catering company and the Director of Marketing and corporate development for a cafeteria management company.
A native of Hahira, Smith attended Valdosta State University and received her B.S. in Education from the University of Guam. Her husband, Bob, is a human resource director. The couple has two children, a son in Special Forces and a daughter who attends Stanford Business School.
Smith said her number one goal is total accessibility to the students, faculty, and staff.
"I plan to be highly visible and accessible to the entire college community," Smith said. "I want to be a part of making ABAC a great school for the students. In my efforts to focus on the students, I will visit the dorms to get a sense of what the students want. I hope to receive constant feedback so that I can evaluate where we are now and where the students want us to go."
Smith said she is very excited to be at ABAC.
"When I visited the college, I was impressed," she said. "I really wanted to become part of the ABAC environment, and I am happy to be here."
Former Director of Food Service Roy Biggers accepted a position at Morehead (Ky) State University. He had been at ABAC for seven and a half years.
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