Joe Schmit
“I have fun doing my job and I hope that the viewer can tell that. It sure beats working for a living.”
Previous Experience
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 19 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 honored with a National Headliner Award in 2001. He also was awarded with the 2024 Sid Hartman Media Award by the National Football Foundation Minnesota Chapter.
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 three books: “Silent Impact, “The Impact Blueprint” and “The Right Thing To Do,” a children’s book about Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer Joe Mauer.
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.
Community Service
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.
Personal Interests
Joe and his wife Laura have three children. They live in Bloomington.