Georgeann Smith - Owner and Director

Georgeann is a caregiver that will always go out of her way to help anyone and everyone that crosses her path. She is self-made business woman who started on her own with two clients, in one Central Kansas county and built her business presently to forty-five employees, eighty-five clients across five counties. 

 She honed her small business skills early in her career serving as co-owner of a local ServiceMaster franchise (a professional and residential cleaning service) with her late husband, Kirby Smith for 24 years. Her first foray into caretaking was as a paraeducator at the Emporia School District 253 for six years. Quickly her compassionate reputation spread and landed her the opportunity to serve as a Respite care provider for two unique clients. One in particular, Pat, a fifty-year-old, disabled man whose only dream was to become a fireman. Georgeann knew that this dream was far from his reach, but her compassion kicked in when she approached the city’s fire department with a unique idea. She asked if Pat could volunteer to paint the city’s fire hydrants, a job that Pat took very seriously. The city said yes and over many years Pat and Georgeann, who had to oversee the painting to make sure it was done correctly, painted over one hundred and sixty hydrants throughout Emporia. This job gave Pat immense joy and in his mind,  he was a part of the fire department which fulfilled his lifelong dream. 

 In 2000 Georgeann formed the Smith agency as again her reputation had yielded many referrals and the growth finally needed a full-time staff. She instilled in her new staff that same compassion that she used for each client early in her work. Her approach was to bring a unique type to care that put the clients needs first. She wanted to teach the clients critical life skills that other companies don’t offer. For example, the Smith Agency implemented a paper route for the clients that would show them how to enter the workforce and not to mention put a little money in their pockets. Also, they established a bowling league for the clients which gave them a way to be out in the community and socially meet others. Georgeann petitioned the country fair to implement a new category for the handicapped so they could compete against each other.  Many of her clients were now able to participate with a fair chance of winning.  She also connected clients with the Special Olympics which opened a new world of inclusion and community that some of the clients had never been afforded. 

 Georgann has been successful because she always puts the clients first. Their well-being is always the first thing addressed by her and her staff, making the Smith Agency as one of the most respected business in Central Kansas.