Meeting Professionals

Hardy Smith continues to be an excellent resource as a speaker and an accessible thought leader for our members in the association management space. Hardy has a wonderful style of humor and anecdotes that drive his message home. I highly recommend Hardy if you are looking for a dynamic, knowledgeable, and amusing speaker.

Hester Ndoja, CAE, President & CEO – Florida Society of Association Executives

It’s always a pleasure to have Hardy Smith with us because we know that our attendees will leave with information that they can instantly and easily implement. His How To Stop The Nonprofit Board Blame Game session was a hit with chamber professionals at our Spring Conference and they were excited to have the opportunity to purchase copies of his book.

Tammy C. Bracewell, IOM, FCCP, President- Florida Association of Chamber Professionals

Hardy’s presentation at HR Florida Leadership’s Conference was on point. He helped chapter leaders prep to create their annual strategic plan. After Hardy’s general session and workshop, the volunteers were energized and eager to begin their next phase of board leadership.

Marty Bryson, MLS, SHRM-SCP, SPHR, President-HR Florida

Chamber professionals are life long learners and Hardy Smith’s session on effectively communicating with boards provided great information for executives at all levels.

Paige Hutto, President & CEO-Alabama Chambers-Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama

I thought our board could just get together and have this discussion; I wasn’t at all sure we needed a mediator. Mea Culpa! It was extremely helpful to have an outside expert frame the discussion and organize the issues to be addressed. I don’t think we could have accomplished as much as we did without Hardy Smith.

Susan Burden, President-Women in Ophthalmology

Excellent ideas delivered professionally in presentation to our local Affiliate leaders.

Barbara Beck, President & CEO-Habitat for Humanity of Florida

The time Hardy Smith spent with us was transformational for our board. Identifying the most urgent actions, developing a growth mindset with an eye to the future of our organization and long range planning were all done with Hardy’s guidance. I highly recommend Hardy if you are trying to maximize what your board can contribute toward the growth of your organization.

Lou Pereira, President-Trinity Catholic High School

We connected with Hardy during our succession planning process. He was a great asset to the board and brought a wealth of insight to share on board governance. He kept us focused and connected to see our mission through.

Rachel Christensen, Board Chair-Women In Trucking Association

Thanks to Hardy Smith’s facilitation skills, our Seminole County Government’s elected officials and staff were able to gain a shared understanding of the critical goals we should be focusing on. He also helped our organization turn those goals into measurable, improved outcomes.

Steve Fussell, Chief Administrator-Office of Organizational Excellence for Seminole County Government

Hardy came highly recommended and he did not disappoint! He facilitated Volusia County Women Who Care’s first board workshop. From the start, he put everyone at ease and asked questions to engage the members which resulted in a very productive session that provided the framework that will be used to plan for growing the impact of VCWWC.

Teresa Smith, Founding President-Volusia County Women Who Care

Hardy is a wonderful resource for chamber of commerce professionals and their volunteer leaders. Hardy was diligent in incorporating participant interaction even in a virtual format. Our attendees were extremely engaged and appreciated his expertise.

 Angela Rose, President, MACCE-Maryland Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives

Thank you for speaking at our Association Executives Education Seminar. You knocked it out of the park and the reviews we have are very high.

 Anne Cockayne, Florida Realtors

We asked Hardy to speak at the first virtual Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Regional Conference on how to engage board volunteers during the pandemic. He delivered a powerful and engaging message that left attendees inspired and informed on how to navigate through these unprecedented times. Thank you Hardy for your patience, flexibility and professionalism.

 Tony McWhorter, National Vice President-Leadership Development, Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Thank you for your wonderful presentation during our Association Forum. I have heard nothing but rave reviews about the content of the presentation from attendees. Your time and dedication to learn more about our industry in advance enhanced the impact to those that were present.

Cynthia Martineau, Executive Director-Towing and Recovery Association of America

Hardy Smith is a true advocate and professional in the speaking industry. His experience with corporate, nonprofit, and association management makes him a perfect fit to deliver content on leadership and strategy. As a meeting planner, finding a speaker that can deliver an impactful message along with being flexible, can be difficult. Hardy is always willing to customize his message to your audience. He has a true passion for his profession.

Lori Pugh, CMP, CMM, HMCC Lead Manager, Event Programs & Production, Meeting Professionals International

Hardy Smith spoke at the Florida Festivals & Events Convention on two topics and was one of our highest rated speakers by the attendees for both sessions. We rarely repeat speakers for two consecutive years, but based on the feedback from our members, we have asked Hardy to return to present a new topic. From a Meeting Planner perspective, Hardy is wonderful to work with. He is very well organized and prepared and also very willing to work with our marketing committee for pre-event promotional opportunities. I would highly recommend Hardy to any event organizer.

 Suzanne Neve, Executive Director, Florida Festivals & Events Association (FFEA)

We’ve invited Hardy to speak on multiple occasions for our Strategic Nonprofit Alliance Partnership (SNAP) programs, and he does a great job every time. Hardy is an engaging and likable presenter, and the information he provides is relevant and useful.

James Halleran, CPA, Partner, James Moore & Co.

Having been in business a long time, I know what strategic planning is, but Hardy’s ability to take it and put it into four to five key elements and then talk about how it can be done without tons of paper work (and tons of hours), I found to be very efficient. He makes (strategic planning) doable.

 Sarah F. Gurtis, Chief Executive Officer, COA (Council On Aging)

Hardy Smith was a wonderful facilitator of our strategic plan session. He was able to draw everyone into a critical conversation while maintaining focus; I attribute this to his exceptional communication skills and in-depth understanding of nonprofits.

Kerry Karl, Executive Director, Volusia County Association for Responsible Development

Hardy Smith did an outstanding job facilitating our board’s strategic planning session. He took time to understand the mission of our association and the businesses we represent. Our board members are either business owners or top level corporate executives. Hardy was very effective in getting everyone engaged and his get to the point approach was well received.

Mary Dougherty, Executive Director, Gulf Coast Builders Exchange

Our planning session facilitated by Hardy Smith was very beneficial because he engaged the board in a critical conversation everyone knew needed to be had, but had not been willing to. The result was clarity on the engagement role of board members.

Carol Berry, Chief Executive Officer, Health Care Administrators Association

Hardy helped our members of the strategic planning committee to think about their current plan, dissect the plan and certainly think toward the future of the association. He brought the group together and the results were lively discussions and a plan that works. Bring Hardy to your association, you will get results!

Cora Baker, RCE, CAE Chief Executive Officer, New Smyrna Beach Board of Realtors, INC.

I have known and worked with Hardy Smith for more than 20 years…he has a very unique background that provides him with skills and experiences that will benefit any nonprofit or volunteer based …I have seen him take on very complex issues and demonstrate an ability for delivering results.

Nick Craw, former Director, Peace Corps

Hardy Smith is an Event Planners dream! He is totally confident of who he is and what he does. He engages his audiences with his masterful story-telling and is the expert “go-to” resource for organizations and nonprofits who are seeking to find solutions to their many challenges. With his wit, wisdom, passion, and experience, we are honored to have Hardy on our team to showcase to the world.

Sue Falcone, CEO, Remarkable! A Speakers Bureau

Hardy Smith is an impact player to any organization or event. He brings a wealth of valuable experience in such topics as fundraising, event planning and promotion, team building, and overall organizational performance. His philosophy, ideas, and strategies are creative, innovative, and most importantly are proven techniques that produce positive results and maximize outcomes.

Coach Steve Ridder, Head Basketball Coach, Embry-Riddle University

I find Hardy Smith’s Tips for Nonprofit Success (blog) timely, trendy, and full of valuable information for both the established and the start-up nonprofit. It is a “must read” if you want to improve your infrastructure and a great resource for all aspects of nonprofit management.

Candace Lightner, Founder of MADD – Mothers Against Drunk Driving /Founder of We Save Lives