Railway Interchange 2017 Buzz

Ken Schmidt




As the former director of communications for Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Ken Schmidt played an active role in one of the most celebrated turnarounds in corporate history - and got paid to ride motorcycles. He is widely known and respected as one of the business world’s most outspoken and provocative thought leaders and has partnered with many of the world’s most successful brands. The longtime motorcycle enthusiast’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-Davidson became one of the most visible and frequently reported-on companies in the world, while sales of its motorcycles rocketed upward. In 1990, Schmidt became director of Harley-Davidson’s corporate and financial communications, and served as its primary spokesperson to the media and the financial communities. In 1997, Schmidt left Harley-Davidson to take an ownership position with a highly successful Chicago-based marketing firm, VSA Partners. In addition to Harley-Davidson, VSA serves a virtual who’s who of the world’s best-known brands. In July 1999, he sold his portion of VSA to start his own business, Ken Schmidt Company, and slow down the pace of his life. Now, Schmidt is a frequent speaker to business groups and academic communities throughout the world.

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