FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – April 10, 2024  – KSTP-TV Sports Director Joe Schmit has been named this year’s recipient of the Sid Hartman Media Award by the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation. Schmit will be recognized during this summer’s Minnesota Football Honors television broadcast. 

“Joe Schmit has been a fixture in the Twin Cities sports market for decades. When people tune in to Channel 5, Joe’s passion, insight and excitement captivate a statewide audience. More importantly, his genuine personality and relationship-building skills have helped him develop respect among those he covers on a daily basis,” said Todd Fultz, President of the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation. “We can’t wait to honor Joe during this summer’s Minnesota Football Honors television broadcast.”

Joe Schmit has become one of the most recognizable and respected sports broadcasters in the Twin Cities market. Schmit joined KSTP-TV in 1985 and has won 18 Emmys from the National Television Academy. He was also honored with a National Headliner Award in 2001. 

Before joining KSTP-TV, Schmit, a University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse alum, was Sports Director for WBAY-TV in Green Bay. His career also includes stints as weekend sports anchor for KCRG-TV in Cedar Rapids and WKBT-TV in La Crosse. Schmit left broadcasting for three years to become President of PMMG, a media and marketing company that had clients such as Polaroid, Sun Country Airlines, Ubid, Fingerhut and others. Joe was also the spokesperson for Sun Country Airlines on all of their TV and radio commercials.

Outside of being a sportscaster, Schmit has dedicated his life to serving others. He is a past president and board member of the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Greater Twin Cities. Schmit raised over $3 million for the organization through the Joe Schmit Celebrity Golf Tournament, which had a 16-year run. As a result of his philanthropic work, he won the Jim Kelly Distinguished Service Award from Big Brothers and Big Sisters (2000) and earned the Odyssey Award (2001) for his commitment to youth mentorship.

Joe was also honored as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF) Community Leader of the Year in 2005. Additionally, Schmit was named the 2018 winner of the Mike Givens Award for his work with MG Charities. Joe was also past president and board member of the Fairway Foundation. On top of that, Joe and his wife Laura chaired a $4 million capital campaign for VEAP, the largest food shelf in Minnesota. 

Schmit is also an accomplished author and keynote speaker. Joe has authored three books, including Silent Impact, The Impact Blueprint, and The Right Thing to Do: The Joe Mauer Story. As a speaker, Schmit earned his CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) and has been inducted into the Minnesota Speakers Hall of Fame. 

The Sid Hartman Media Award honors the late Sid Hartman, a Twin Cities media legend for more than 75 years. 

Previous Sid Hartman Media Award winners: 

• 2013: Randy Shaver

• 2014: Michele Tafoya 

• 2015: Mike Max

• 2016: Eugene McGivern

• 2017: Brad Nessler

• 2018: Kevin Houdek

• 2019: Mark Rosen

• 2021: Dave Lee

• 2022: Larry Knutson

• 2023: Bob Hagan

To view a statewide map of past and present Minnesota Football Honors Award Winners, visit this site. 

Minnesota Football Honors is hosting a show to honor this year’s high school, college and Minnesota Vikings award winners. Full broadcast details, including a television airing date, will be announced at a later date on www.minnesotafootballhonors.com. 

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About the Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation:

The Minnesota Chapter of The National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame is a local non-profit organization whose mission is to promote amateur football’s ability to develop leadership, sportsmanship, competitive spirit and academic excellence in Minnesota’s young people. The Minnesota Chapter recognizes legendary football icons, college football Hall of Famers and Minnesota’s top high school and college football scholar-athletes. For more information, visit www.nffmn.org, or Facebook (@MNFootballHonors) and Twitter (@NFFMN).

Contact:

Todd Fultz, President - Minnesota Chapter of the National Football Foundation

Phone: (612)-325-5500

Media Contact:

Daniel House, Director of Media Relations and Content

Minnesota Chapter of The National Football Foundation

Email: daniel@nffmn.org