Local graphic designer December Hometown Hero

J.D. Smith.

EVERETT, DEC. 23: J.D. Smith is a graphic designer, photographer and videographer who works with businesses in Puget Sound using immersive and authentic video storytelling.

Smith owns J. Donovan Smith Creative, a business he began in 2018. He does creative brand marketing, helping businesses see who they are from a “different light”, Smith said.

Smith was nominated not by one, but different three people.

“They are all special people, and it feels good that they would nominate me for this,” Smith said.

Smith said what makes his business different from other videographers and marketers is that he takes the time to learn about the person, not just the business.

“JD Smith is an amazing talent and wonderful man. He will go the extra mile and really cares about others and helping them to the best of his ability. I trust him,” nominator Doug Peterson wrote.

During college, Smith was going to school for business management until he took a graphic design elective and “fell in love with it.” His instructor, who would later have a huge impact on his life, saw that students would ask Smith for help, rather than him.

He became so close to his instructor that he lived with him for a period of time before going to college. Smith recalled how one time he was watching television, and his instructor came into the room, put a pen and paper in front of him and turned off the TV. 

“He really pushed me because he saw that potential in me which was kind of cool,” Smith said.

Smith currently has 85 clients, 80 of which are located in Everett.

Smith is the chairman of the board for Elks in Everett, a community that invests in different charity-based programs. He is also the board secretary and on the marketing membership committee for the state office association.

On top of his involvement with the Elks, Smith runs his business and is also the creative director of a beverage company. Smith jokes that “he doesn’t know when to say no.”

In his free time, Smith enjoys skydiving and has done more than 600 skydives. He also enjoys riding his motorcycle, even starting a motorcycle chapter in 2015. He led the club for five years before disbanding to focus more on his business.

“JD has been very active in the community, volunteering and building up our great city of Everett. He is certainly a hometown hero,” nominator Jennifer Goodhart wrote.

Hometown Hero is a promotion from radio stations Everett’s Greatest Hits KRKO and Classic Country KXA. Each month the stations celebrates an individual making a difference in the community and gives them a $100 Visa gift as a small token of appreciation. Presented by Eden Health. If you would like to nominate a Hometown Hero, see here.

Corrected 12/23/24: The Everett Elks invests in charity-based programs, not service-based. J.D. Smith was also president of the motorcycle chapter for five years, not three.