PCCA Journal 3rd Quarter 2014 - page 35

PCCA Journal|3
rd
Quarter 2014
35
you to work all the major muscle groups in an inviting set-
ting complete with French doors with views of the beautiful
grounds. Take advantage of the full range of equipment, in-
cluding cardio theater entertainment: treadmills, stairmasters,
bikes, and resistance training equipment
Tennis.
Whether you play every chance you can or prefer a
carefree game just for fun, you’ll enjoy the professional tennis
facilities. Two hard surface tennis courts are lighted for night-
time play as well as weekly tennis clinics and tournaments.
Hyatt Regency Casino.
The adrenaline rush of a winning
poker hand, the clanging of a slot machine payout, and the
fun of dancing the night away are all part of the Aruba casino
experience. The Hyatt Regency Casino features 21 gaming
tables (Blackjack, Let It Ride, Craps, Three-card Poker, Carib-
bean Stud, Roulette, and Baccarat), 255 slot machines, and a
casino bar serving hand-rolled cigars and exotic drinks.
Join the fun every night for the “Carnival in Rio” cel-
ebration, where you can enjoy live music Tuesday through
Sunday, dancing, and a never-ending party. Dance, play,
groove to the music, sip a refreshing cocktail, and mix with
the fascinating crowd. The electrifying casino will keep you
delightfully entertained night after night.
O
ne of the most in-
demand speakers
and communications
consultants in America,
PCCA Convention
keynoter Ken Schmidt has lived a life
that most can only dream about. He has
toured the world on two wheels, met
with presidents and royalty, partied with
movie and music legends, and appeared
many times on network news. As the
former director of communications for
Harley-Davidson Motor Company, he
played an active role in one of the most
celebrated turnarounds in corporate his-
tory—and got paid to ride motorcycles.
The longtime motorcycle enthusi-
ast’s formal association with Harley-
Davidson began in 1985. As a specialist
in corporate positioning and media
relations, he was asked to work with
the then-struggling Harley-Davidson
to help restore the company’s image
and create demand for its motorcycles.
Within a few short years, Harley-Da-
vidson became one of the most visible
and frequently reported-on companies
in the world, while sales of its motor-
cycles rocketed upward.
In 1990, Schmidt became director of
Harley-Davidson’s corporate and finan-
cial communications and served as its
primary spokesperson to the media and
financial communities. He appeared
numerous times on network news
programs and was frequently called on
by business media to share his insights
on non-traditional communications and
customer relations. Speaking engage-
ments around the world soon followed.
In 1997, Schmidt left Harley-Davidson
to take an ownership position with a
highly successful Chicago-based market-
ing firm, VSA Partners. In addition to
Harley-Davidson, VSA serves many
other of the world’s best-known brands,
including General Motors, Coca-Cola,
IBM, and Campbell’s Soup. In July
1999, he sold his portion of VSA to start
his own business, Ken Schmidt Compa-
ny, and slow down the pace of his life.
Now, Schmidt is a frequent speaker
to business groups and academic
communities throughout the world.
Few speakers generate more positive
word-of-mouth and referrals. “I love
to startle people by exposing them to
proven ideas and concepts they’ve nev-
er imagined,” he said. “Whether I’m
talking about how perfectly average
people can do extraordinary things—
which is now an everyday occurrence
at Harley-Davidson—or how to build
an entirely new corporate culture,
rekindle relationships with customers,
or reach out to new ones in completely
untraditional ways, I’m teaching people
to throw conventional approaches out
the window. I see opening hearts and
minds as my life’s work.”
Today, Schmidt shares his expertise
with many of America’s leading brands,
but happily states that he is “semi-
retired,” which allows him to pursue
his other passions. He calls working
with the grandson of one of Harley-
Davidson’s founders to create the book,
100 Years of Harley-Davidson,
one of the
greatest highs in his lifetime. After all he
has accomplished, his philosophy of life
and business hasn’t changed: “Never do
what’s expected, make yourself as no-
ticeably different as possible, and have a
lot more fun than you’re supposed to.”
Keynote Speaker Schmidt to Share Harley-Davidson Success Story
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