Ken Schmidt has been associated with Harley-Davidson since 1985 and his success in helping improve the company's reputation and creating demand for its products played a vital role in the motorcycle legend's turnaround from the brink of ruin to global dominance. In his role as Harley's Director of Communication, Schmidt shaped the company's positioning and messaging and served as its primary spokesperson to the media and financial communities. Since leaving the company in 1997 to focus his energy on his family, Schmidt has continued to be a major force in the communication industry and has provided non-traditional communication and brand-building expertise to many of the world's best-known businesses. Harley-Davidson, however, remains his primary business partner and his strongest passion. He recently co-wrote a book with the grandson of one of the company's founders, "100 years of Harley-Davidson," which was released this year to coincide with the company's 100th anniversary. He has appeared on network television numerous times and spoken to hundreds of audiences around the world.