Press Release

BIRMINGHAM—Ralph H. Smith, II has been appointed by Queen Elizabeth to the Order of St. John, a major international charity whose organizations provide first aid, health care, and support services in 40 countries around the world. The Order's charitable work is carried out by the St. John Eye Hospital Group in Jerusalem and St. John Ambulance organizations worldwide. The Order of St. John is an Order of Chivalry of the British Crown with historical roots in the 11th century Knights of Malta and Knights Hospitaller.

About Ralph Smith and the Ralph Smith Group
Ralph Smith, CEO of The Ralph Smith Group and special counsel at Jones Walker LLP, served for almost a decade as General Counsel and a Member of the Chancellor's Senior Policy Staff at The University of Alabama System, where he also teaches and advises on International initiatives. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Association of American Rhodes Scholars and is responsible for the Rhodes Scholarship selection process in Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee. A corporate and business transactions lawyer by training, Mr. Smith attended Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar from 1973-1976 and helped launch in 2012 the Global Innovation Alliance to promote scientific innovation and economic development. He served as Chancellor for the Episcopal Diocese of Alabama from 2000-2003.

The Ralph Smith Group LLC (www.ralphsmithgroup.com), provides strategic consulting services to business and higher education.

About Jones Walker
Jones Walker LLP, with more than 375 attorneys, provides a comprehensive range of legal services to a national and international corporate client base through offices in Alabama, Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, and Texas.

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