Christianity Today International (CTI) has named Harold B. Smith as editor-in-chief and CEO of its magazines, church resources, Web sites and periodicals.

Smith, who was promoted to the new position by the board of directors March 1, succeeds the leadership team of Harold Myra and Paul Robbins as head of CTI. Myra and Robbins recently announced their retirement after three decades at the helm of the company.

Smith, 56, joined the staff of Christianity Today magazine as special projects editor in 1984 and was promoted through various positions. Most recently, he served six years as executive vice president. With his new appointment, Smith becomes only the fourth top executive in the company's 50-year history.

“With the publishing industry in such transition, grappling with the relationship of print to the Web to an ever-changing array of electronic delivery systems, I'm grateful our strong past has positioned us to take advantage of exciting new possibilities in the days ahead,” Smith said. “We will build on that strength as a multimedia communications ministry, resourcing churches and reaching people around the globe.”