United Way campaigner ready to set sail

Tarrant County’s defense industry also provides bedrock support for local charity agencies.

So the United Way of Tarrant County has chosen a fitting new development and operations officer: retired U.S. Navy officer T.D. Smyers.

Having commanded Naval Air Station Fort Worth and chaired the commissioning committee for the USS Fort Worth warship, Smyers now brings those skills to join executive Tim McKinney in leading the umbrella charity drive for more than 40 agencies.

Smyers moves over after four years as the regional chief executive for the American Red Cross North Texas Region, a United Way agency.

His is a classic local-kid-makes-good story. Born in Dallas and reared first in Euless and then in Boyd, he went on to set distance-running records at the U.S. Naval Academy and then to senior leadership roles at the Pentagon and worldwide.

Now, after helping unite and reorganize regional Red Cross chapters, he is home living in Fort Worth and bringing his skills to a charity campaign ready for revitalization.

McKinney, a former banker, is in his eighth year leading the agency with courage, heart and great human compassion.

Welcome aboard, Capt. Smyers.

This story was originally published November 25, 2015 at 6:10 PM with the headline "United Way campaigner ready to set sail."