Joe Schmit
Joe Schmit is an award-winning broadcaster, community leader, author and popular keynote speaker. As a sports broadcaster he has covered every major sporting event in the past 4 decades and has interviewed many of the biggest names in sports. He joined KSTP-TV in 1985 and has won 18 Emmys from the National Television Academy. In 2020, Joe was awarded The Silver Circle designation by the Upper Midwest Chapter of the Emmys for extraordinary contributions to the broadcasting industry. He was also honored with a National Headliner Award in 2001.
Before joining KSTP-TV in 1985, he was Sports Director for WBAY-TV in Green Bay, Wisconsin. His career also includes positions as weekend sports anchor for KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and WKBT-TV in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Joe earned his degree in Mass Communications from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Joe is also an author of two books: “ Silent Impact ” and “ The Impact Blueprint.”
In 2019 Joe was also inducted into the Minnesota Speakers Hall of Fame and earned his CSP designation (Certified Speaking Professional) from the National Speakers Association. Less than 15 percent of NSA members worldwide have achieved the CSP designation.
Joe is a long time youth mentor committed to advocating for a number of community organizations with Big Brothers and Big Sisters is at the top of his list. He is a past president and board member of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Twin Cities. He has raised over $3 million for the organization through the Joe Schmit Celebrity Golf Tournament which had a 16-year run. In 2000, he was the winner of the Jim Kelly Distinguished Service Award from Big Brothers and Big Sisters and in 2001, a winner of the Odyssey Award for commitment to youth mentorship. He was also honored as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF) Community Leader of the Year in 2005.
In 2018 Joe was honored with the Mike Givens Distinguished Service Award for The Mind over Matter Foundation. Joe and his wife Laura also chaired a $4.5 million dollar capital campaign for VEAP, the largest food shelf in Minnesota. He is past president and board member of the Fairway Foundation and has contributed time to many other charitable organizations.
Chad Weinstein
Chad Weinstein delivers presentations on ethics and leadership that inspire, educate, and entertain audiences with real-life examples and practical concepts and techniques. His life’s work is helping ethical leaders to achieve extraordinary results through improved trust and team engagement. As a speaker and educator, he seeks to energize audiences by uniting positive ethics with organizational performance.
For over 25 years Chad has worked as a business leader and consultant, helping Fortune 500 and start-up companies, public sector and non–profit organizations to achieve their goals. Before focusing on ethical leadership full-time in 2007, he led teams in IT, R&D and operations, as well as in marketing and sales. He draws on these experiences – working with leaders in fields as diverse as law enforcement, health care, mining, and high-tech manufacturing – to tell real stories that audiences remember and apply to their lives.
Chad also earned a Ph.D. in ethics from the University of Minnesota. In the course of his studies, Chad observed that the practice of business ethics is almost always negative, warning people to avoid mistakes. Chad set out to frame a new, positive perspective for ethics education, encouraging people to pursue greatness.
Chad is the founder and president of Ethical Leaders in Action (ELA), a Minnesota-based firm that provides consulting and training to public safety agencies, health care organizations, associations, and businesses. Before founding ELA, Chad founded and led the Hill Center for Ethical Business Leadership, a division of the James J. Hill Reference Library.
Kat Perkins
Kat is a nationally recognized motivational speaker who can deliver her message to businesses, colleges, schools of all grade levels, corporate organizations, fundraisers, and leadership conferences of all types. Kat appeared on Season 6 of NBC’s The Voice and went all the way to the show’s finals on Team Adam Levine!
She can set the tone for people of all ages and each appearance comes with a musical performance!
By booking Kat’s Fearless campaign, you can expect an inspiring experience about finding your passion, taking leadership and working with others, developing a positive attitude, and working toward your dreams. In schools, she focused on how to stay strong against bullying, as well as finding your passions, dreams, and setting goals. Your audience will leave the event with a sense of confidence, some laughs, music, and a full heart!
Stevie Ray
An expert in improv and its application to the workplace, Stevie Ray has been a nationally recognized keynote speaker and corporate trainer for over thirty-five years. Stevie was the longest running national columnist for the Business Journal Newspapers and is the author of eleven books, including Quick Thinking for Any Situation. He is a guest lecturer for the University of Minnesota and the University of St. Thomas MBA program. Stevie is the Executive Director of Stevie Ray’s Improv Company, one of the longest running improv organizations in the United States. Stevie is the first person in the country to have designed his own college degree to study the psychology of humor.