'Bigger than life': Steve Schmidt, former Ledger advertising director, dies at 66
LAKELAND — Steve Schmidt, a longtime employee of The Ledger who served as advertising director for more than a decade, died Saturday in Lakeland of liver cancer. He was 66.
A Missouri native who grew up in Lakeland, Schmidt joined The Ledger in 1980 after graduating from the University of Florida. Fifteen years later, he had progressed from sales executive to director of the department, a position he would hold until 2006.
“He was bigger than life, in his size and in personality,” said John Fitzwater, publisher at The Ledger during the later years of Schmidt’s tenure as advertising director. “He was a great leader. The staff really admired him and followed him, and he had a knack for finding the right people for the job.”
While at The Ledger, Schmidt received The New York Times Chairman’s Award eight times for innovation and creativity in managing the advertising department’s staff and accounts.
Led sports coverage for 24 yearsJohn Valerino, former Ledger sports editor, dies at 70
'Where I’m supposed to be'Prosecutor Ashley McCarthy tiptoes between peace and horror
Medicaid lawsuitLakeland Regional Health to pay $4 million to settle
“He was so knowledgeable about the business,” Fitzwater said, “and people admired him for that.”
In his 26 years at The Ledger, many of Schmidt’s advertising clients evolved into friends, including Allen Johnson, former director of the then Lakeland Civic Center.
“Steve had a wit and personality that just drew you in,” Johnson said. “We did a lot of advertising with The Ledger, and I met him that way. But once I got to know him, he was one of those people I really enjoyed being around, and we became good friends. We golfed together and always had a great time.
“He had an eclectic appetite for music, and had a broad knowledge of it,” he said. “Not only did he know the songs, but he always knew something about the band.”
After leaving The Ledger in 2006, Schmidt was named publisher of The Times Daily in Florence, Alabama, and later spearheaded the newly developed Better Living magazine, a New York Times publication in Sarasota. Most recently, he was vice president of advertising at the South Bend Tribune in Indiana before his retirement in 2017.
Beyond his career at The Ledger, Schmidt believed in giving back to the community, friends said, serving on the boards of the Polk Advertising Federation, the Peace River Center, the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce and the Business Advisory Board for the University of South Florida.
Schmidt’s passion for his alma mater and the Florida Gators never waned, said Cheryl Nordby Schmidt, his wife of 40 years. He also valued his many friendships.
“We have heard from so many friends in the past few days from both Steve’s professional and personal connections,” she said, “and they all mention he was larger-than-life, charismatic and fun-loving. They talked about his great passion for music, and how he always had the best playlists, from back when he would make mixed cassette tapes for friends, through the iPod years and now on his cell phone.
“He loved to entertain and cook gourmet meals for his friends and his family, and he was always the life of the party,” she said. “He believed in telling people that he loved them and was a great hugger — not just because of his size, but because he really wanted to connect with you.
“A while back, he posted on Facebook, ‘Find something that makes you happy and every day embrace it,’ and that’s how he lived his life.”
In addition to his wife, Schmidt leaves a son, Eric, of New York City, and a daughter, Katie, of Wilmington, N.C.
A celebration of life will be held March 22 at 4 p.m. at the Magnolia Building, 702 E. Orange St., Lakeland.
This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Steve Schmidt, former Ledger advertising director, dies at 66
