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Milliken & Company announced Bethany Smith as its senior vice president and chief human resources officer, overseeing all human resource matters on behalf of the global manufacturer. Smith has served as interim chief human resources officer since October 2023, stepping into the position upon the departure of Craig Haydamack.
“Bethany stepped up and filled a critical role on our leadership team,” says Halsey Cook, Milliken president and CEO. “Over the years, Bethany has earned the respect and admiration of her colleagues by demonstrating excellence and leadership in every task she takes on. She is the right person to lead human resources at Milliken.”
Prior to becoming interim chief human resources officer, Smith served as vice president of human resources for Milliken’s corporate support functions, providing strategic HR support to Milliken’s six corporate enabler functions. In this role, she was the HR business partner to the senior leaders of these functions—all while being an active participant in Milliken’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion program. Other previously held roles included HR vice president for Milliken’s health care division, HR director for Milliken’s textile business and director of talent acquisition and learning and development.
Smith began her career at Milliken in manufacturing, working in three different plants within Milliken’s textile and floor covering divisions. She was part of the project team responsible for rebuilding the Live Oak Plant after a fire in 1995. Although half of her career has been devoted to Milliken, Smith also spent 15 years with MAU Workforce Solutions, providing HR support to numerous global manufacturing companies, including Milliken.
Smith is an engineering graduate of Clemson University. She is a board member for the Charles Lea Center in Spartanburg, S.C., and is on the advisory boards of the University of South Carolina Business Partnership Foundation and the YMCA of Spartanburg. She has held various certifications throughout her career, including Certified Personnel Consultant (National Association of Personnel Services), Korn Ferry Leadership Architect/360 and SHRBP (Human Capital Institute).
Smith was appointed chief human resources officer on February 12, marking a transition from her interim period to her formal acceptance of the role.