Donald J. Smith

This article is about the Canadian entrepreneur. For the killer, see Murder of Cherish Perrywinkle.

Donald J. Smith
Born	(1924-03-23)March 23, 1924 Provost, Alberta, Canada
Died	June 16, 2013(2013-06-16) (aged 89) London, Ontario, Canada
Occupation(s)	Co-founder, President and CEO EllisDon Corp.
Years active	1951–1996
Organization	EllisDon Corp.
Spouse	Elizabeth Joan McDonald
Children	Geoff Smith, Catherine, Robert, Lynne, Geoff, Michael, Donald, David
Parent	Donald Smith Florence Smith

Donald James Smith (March 23, 1924 – July 16, 2013) was a Canadian business leader, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He was the co-founder, president, and CEO of the construction corporation EllisDon.

Early life

Smith was born on March 23, 1924, in Provost, Alberta, to Donald Bennett Smith and Florence Marie Smith. Don had an older brother, David Ellis Smith, and a younger sister, Muriel.

In 1929, Smith's father, a bank manager, experienced financial losses during the Great Depression and died the following year. As a result, Smith's family faced financial hardship. With limited opportunities in Provost, they relocated to Toronto, Ontario. After settling in North Toronto, Smith's mother secured employment as a sales clerk at Eaton's department store. Around the same time, Smith's cousin, George Ellis, joined the household following the death of his own father.

At the age of 10, Smith was given a toy movie projector by his mother. He began hosting Charlie Chaplin movie screenings in his basement for neighborhood children, charging five cents per showing. Smith later became a paper boy for the Toronto Star.

Smith enrolled in the Engineering program at the University of Toronto. Shortly after, he joined Foundation Company, one of the largest construction firms in Canada at the time, where he became a Superintendent by the age of 25.

In January 1949, Smith married Elizabeth Joan McDonald. The couple moved to London, where they had their first child in November of the same year. They had seven children. Joan was a University of Toronto graduate with a degree in Philosophy. She began her career in charitable service and eventually moved into municipal and provincial politics.

Career

At age 27, Smith left his job at Foundation Company to start his own company. On April 1, 1951, Smith and his brother David launched EllisDon, named by combining Don's first name and David's middle name, Ellis. Their first project was a small home renovation funded by their mother, who also acted as their bookkeeper. On the first day of business, EllisDon also received a contract for a small three-room schoolhouse, Northdale Public School in London, Ontario. Shortly after its inception, David left EllisDon and relocated to Calgary, Ontario.

Smith grew EllisDon into a major construction company. Starting with schools and universities, it expanded into healthcare and office buildings, among other sectors. Between 1956 and 1968, EllisDon made business investments, including computerizing its accounting and cost control systems, and operating a purchased tower crane – reportedly the first construction company in Canada to do both. In 1971, EllisDon established safety as a priority by launching a Corporate Safety Strategy to improve job site safety. Between 1974 and 1976, EllisDon expanded operations into Edmonton, Alberta, and Saudi Arabia. In 1978, EllisDon undertook local projects that included the Grand Theatre in London; Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, Alberta; a Bank of Canada in Ottawa, Ontario; and Peel Regional Police Headquarters and 22 Division in Brampton, Ontario.

By 1982, EllisDon was awarded a Construction Management Contract for the Metro Toronto Convention Centre project. In 1986, Smith bid on the Rogers Centre, formerly known as the Skydome. The project was completed in three years, and on June 3, 1989, the Rogers Centre officially opened, featuring the world's first retractable rooftop stadium.

Smith had a reputation as a demanding boss with high expectations. He visited job sites to learn about projects and teams and to stay updated with his employees' lives, reportedly knowing the name of every employee, as well as their spouse and children.

Under Smith's leadership, EllisDon completed projects including the University of Western Ontario, the Metro Hall complex, and the Princess of Wales Theatre.

In 1996, Smith retired, and his son, Geoff Smith, took over as president and CEO.

Philanthropy

Smith supported community involvement and philanthropy. He raised millions of dollars for charitable causes. He was known for his intolerance of discrimination and his commitment to justice and fairness.

In 1967, as president of the London Club, Smith opposed the discrimination against Jewish people who were denied membership. Smith partnered with a Jewish lawyer, who applied for membership and fought until the club admitted its first Jewish member. Smith succeeded, and Jewish members were subsequently welcomed in every private club in London.

Smith supported Fanshawe College and Boys and Girls Club of London, as well as many other charities and individuals.

In 1974, Smith began a partnership with the Boys and Girls Club of London. EllisDon expanded its clubrooms and built a new gym and swimming pool. He was involved in other renovation and construction projects for the organization, including the Don Smith Young Wing in 1995 and an Aquaplex in 2006. Smith's involvement primarily consisted of fundraising efforts.

In 2008, along with his daughter, Lynne Cram, Smith organized the Horizons Campaign to raise funds for the M.A.P. Program (My Action Plan for Education), which supports youth from Grade 4 to post-secondary school to achieve their academic goals.

Politics

Smith was involved in the Ontario Liberal Party and was elected party president on Feb. 17, 1985. He also served as chief fundraiser for Premier David Peterson's government.

Death

On July 16, 2013, at the age of 89, Smith died in London due to illness. A celebration of his life was held on July 23 at the London Hunt Club, attended by family, friends, and employees.

Awards

Smith was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews for his opposition to discrimination against Jewish people in private London clubs in the late 1960s.

In May 2014, Smith was posthumously inducted into the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.