. ▁Army ▁land ed ▁the ▁family ▁in ▁Fort ▁R iley , ▁Kansas . ▁He ▁attended ▁Fort ▁H ays ▁State ▁University ▁where ▁he ▁obtained ▁his ▁B . B . A . ▁in ▁Fin ance ▁and ▁met ▁his ▁wife ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁twenty ▁years . ▁ ▁Short ly ▁after ▁college , ▁Small wood ▁moved ▁to ▁Colorado ▁and ▁started ▁a ▁small ▁ins urance ▁bro ker age ▁firm . ▁He ▁later ▁grew ▁this ▁firm , ▁expand ing ▁his ▁knowledge ▁base ▁and ▁services ▁to ▁include ▁financial ▁advis ing ▁and ▁employee ▁benefit ▁consult ing . ▁He ▁is ▁now ▁president ▁of ▁Employee ▁Ben ef its ▁for ▁Mo ody ▁In sur ance ▁Agency , ▁where ▁he ▁over se es ▁a ▁department ▁which ▁man ages ▁corpor ate ▁clients ▁and ▁consult s ▁on ▁employee ▁benefits ▁and ▁c af eter ia ▁plan ▁administration . ▁ ▁Public ▁Service ▁and ▁Associ ations ▁Small wood ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Colorado ▁Ad vis ory ▁Council ▁for ▁Pers ons ▁with ▁Dis abilities ▁by ▁John ▁H icken lo oper , ▁and ▁has ▁also ▁served ▁on ▁coun c ils ▁assemble d ▁by ▁national ▁and ▁state wide ▁ins ur ers ▁and ▁trade ▁associations . ▁ ▁Legisl ative ▁career ▁Small wood ▁never ▁held ▁public ▁office ▁prior ▁to ▁his ▁election ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁to ▁the ▁Colorado ▁State ▁Senate . ▁▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁E lection ▁During ▁the ▁Senate ▁District ▁ 4 ▁general ▁election , ▁Small wood ▁defeated ▁his ▁Democratic ▁oppon ent , ▁Christ ina ▁R iegel , ▁with ▁ 6 9 . 3 9 % ▁of ▁the ▁votes ▁cast .