Born in St. John’s, Frederick David Smallwood graduated from Memorial University with bachelor degrees in Science and Education, and a Master of Education. He then attended the University of London where he received a PhD in Higher Education.

In 1984, Mr. Smallwood founded Academy Canada with campuses in Corner Brook, St. John’s and Grand Falls-Windsor. Academy Canada grew from 54 students in 1984 to more than 1,500 students by the time Mr. Smallwood retired in 2001 and is now the largest private post-secondary college in Eastern Canada.

After retiring from Academy Canada, Mr. Smallwood started David Smallwood and Associates; a consulting firm that has done considerable work for the former Department of Forestry including assisting with the development of the annual forest fairs that are held in Corner Brook and Gander.

Mr. Smallwood’s volunteer activities are substantial. In 1979 he helped create Theatre Newfoundland and Labrador, served as the first Chair of the Board and still serves as a board member today. In his capacity as chair, the Gros Morne Theatre Festival was founded and is now one of the most successful summer theatre festivals in Canada. He was also on the founding board of Gros Morne Summer Music which is based primarily in Gros Morne National Park.

Mr. Smallwood has served on the provincial board of Festival 500, Sharing our Voices and as Vice Chair of the Rotary Music Festival in Corner Brook.

He was chair of the 2009 East Coast Music Awards Festival and Conference in Corner Brook and helped with the construction of the Rotary Arts Centre; composed of a 93-seat theatre, six artist studios, the Tina Dolter Art Gallery for juried exhibitions and the OpenGallery for non-juried displays.

Not surprisingly, Mr. Smallwood received a Queens Jubilee Medal for his involvement in the arts.

Outside of the arts, Mr. Smallwood has made significant contributions that benefit youth, tourism and the not-for-profit sector in the province. He was a founding member of Big Brothers and Big Sisters in Corner Brook, served on the west coast board of the former Children’s Rehab Centre and the Hospital Corporation of St. John’s. He currently serves on the advisory committee for the Community Sector Council of Newfoundland and Labrador. In 2016 he was a member of the design and implementation team for the Special Olympics National Winter Games that were held in Corner Brook.

He is a strong supporter of the Cruise Ship Committee in Corner Brook and has helped in the redevelopment of the city’s downtown core.