Jon Schmieder

Jon has 28 years of direct experience in the sports tourism industry having held the top position with three different sports commissions: Phoenix, Tulsa, and Denver. Schmieder brings a wealth of experience in sports tourism and economic development having also served in lead staff positions for the Senior Olympic Games and Pop Warner Football and Cheerleading. Schmieder twice served as Chairman of SportsETA, formerly the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC) and was on the organization’s Executive Committee for six years.

While Schmieder served as the President of the Phoenix Regional Sports Commission, the NASC chose the organization as the 2012 Large Market Sports Commission of the Year. Huddle Up Group has twice won SportsETA’s Superior Service Award (2016 and 2025), the highest in honor that is bestowed on an organization serving the sports tourism industry. Schmieder was named the 2012 CEO of the Year by the Phoenix Chapter of the Organization of Non-Profit Executives. In 2016, Connect Sports honored Schmieder as an industry “Game Changer”. Jon currently serves on several boards and advisory committees including CalTravel, Texas Travel Alliance, the Arizona Soccer Foundation, and First Tee of Phoenix among others.

He is the author of three books: Sports Smart: Volume I, Sports Service, and the recently released Sports Smart: Volume II. For the past 13 years, Jon has published a weekly newsletter, the Monday Morning Huddle Up. Schmieder holds a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Arizona and has a master’s degree in higher education leadership from Northern Arizona University. He lives in Phoenix with wife Sharon and son Brock.

Unique Fact: Schmieder is one of only three, 2-time Chairmen of the NASC.