Get your tickets: SME to honor Schmidt at February awards

Jan. 30, 2020

Longtime Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau executive director Teri Schmidt will be honored as the Sales & Marketing Executive of the Year by SME Sioux Falls next month – and you can help honor her.

The annual SME Excellence Awards will be Feb. 25 at the Sioux Falls Convention Center.

Schmidt has been the leader and face of the Sioux Falls visitor industry for 36 years, overseeing sales and marketing of the city with a focus on conventions, meetings, events and other tourism-related business.

Under her leadership, the CVB has grown from two staff members to 15 full-time and 20 part-time employees and from an annual budget of $133,000 to $3 million. She has helped implement everything from Winter Wonderland at Falls Park to the airport welcome for pheasant hunters and the annual visitors guide.

“Teri is the person who has built a staff to sell Sioux Falls as the best city to bring their meetings, conventions and sports events to our community,” said Bernie DeWald, a past Executive of the Year recipient.

“Our community has benefited greatly for her leadership in the hard and dedicated work in accomplishing this work.”

While the event is produced by SME Sioux Falls, it is open to all.

“All are welcome,” DeWald said. “We want a big audience to celebrate Teri’s success and accomplishments. It is not just for SME members but for anyone who knows Teri, has benefited from her efforts and wants to honor her success with the CVB and her ability to bring conventions, events and tourism-related business to our fine city.”

The SME Excellence Awards also will honor a current SME member between the age of 25 and 45 who has demonstrated leadership skills. Nominations for that award are due Saturday, and the nomination form can be found here. 

The Feb. 25 program includes a social at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6:45 p.m. and a conversation with Mayor Paul TenHaken in addition to the awards.

Tickets are $55 or $550 for a table of 10.

For information and tickets, click here, email [email protected] or call 605-336-5626.

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Get your tickets: SME to honor Schmidt at February awards

Longtime Sioux Falls Convention & Visitors Bureau executive director Teri Schmidt will be honored as the Sales & Marketing Executive of the Year by SME Sioux Falls in February – and you can help honor her.

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