Gather to learn from the best in our community. Local and regional corporate leaders share the veteran insights and hard-earned lessons that brought them to where they are today.

 

Family Business Success Story Luncheon

Featuring Lou Schmidt, Jr.
President, HoneyBaked Ham  

Thursday, June 6, 2013
Walsh College Troy Campus
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

 
Honoring member companies on the Family Business Honor Roll .

Lunch cost is $25 for partners and alumni and $50 for all others. Register here.


Lou Schmidt Jr. is President of the Michigan division of The HoneyBaked Ham Company, a territory encompassing 14 states, with approximately 100 corporate and franchise retail stores. The HoneyBaked Ham Company is comprised of 3 divisions in total, operating over 400 stores across the country as the nation's leading retailer of spiral-sliced and glazed gourmet hams. Schmidt is the grandson of Harry Hoenselaar, who invented the spiral slicing process and founded The HoneyBaked Ham Company in Detroit, in 1957.
In addition to his duties as President of the Michigan Division, Lou is Chairman of the HoneyBaked Limited Partnership (National Board), and also participates on the governing board for the catalog and shipping business line, HoneyBaked Foods, Inc.

Schmidt holds other influential leadership positions, including his role as a Director on the Advisory Board for Citizen's Bank of Southeast Michigan. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Walsh College Foundation - a position he is honored to fulfill since he is an alumnus of Walsh, having earned both his Bachelor of Business Administration and Master of Finance degrees from the institution. Lou has been an active member of YPO (the Young Presidents’ Organization) since 2003, and serves on the Board of Directors for Crime Stoppers of Michigan.

Outside the business arena, Lou has fostered a life-long passion for the game of hockey, both as a youth and college player, and through many years of coaching. Lou founded the HoneyBaked Hockey Club in 1993, an organization that has produced a number of elite players, many of whom have gone on to play in the National Hockey League. Currently, Lou is head coach of the Brother Rice varsity hockey team. During his tenure at Brother Rice, he has lead them to State Championship wins in both 2005 and 2012, and was named Michigan High School Coach of the Year in 2005, and again in 2009.

The Walsh Leadership Center provides educational programs for the success and sustainability of the area's small and family business.


Recent Success Stories 

	White Castle	Jamie Richardson, Vice President of Government and Shareholder Relations
	Gymco, Inc	Doreen Bolhuis, President
	Just Baked	Pam Turkin, Chief Cupcake Officer
	Two Men and a Truck	Melanie Bergeron, CEO
	Carhartt	Jennifer Piscopink, Vice President, HR
	Garden Fresh Gourmet Salsa	John Latella, COO

 
Past Success Stories
Hiller’s Markets - Jim Hiller, President
Biggby Coffee - Bob Fish, CEO
Big Boy Restaurants - Bob Liggett, owner
Moosejaw - Robert Wolfe, president
Morley Candy - Jim Petz, vice president; Ron Rapson, president
Zingerman’s - Ari Weinzweig, co-founder
Domino’s Pizza - David Brandon, president
Quicken Loans - Bill Emerson, president
Jiffy Baking Mix - Howdy Holmes