Brian Schmidt Email & Phone Number

K-Display has been fabricating metal display units, racks, shelving, industrial containers, and related products since 1984. Founded by three brothers who developed their metalworking skill in their dad's shop in the '60s and '70s, we are proud to support local and national manufacturers with high quality laser cutting, bending, powder coating, and assembly services.In 2023, the founders decided to retire and chose Schmotan Investments LLC to sell their company to. As President of K-Display LLC, and the leader of the team that is carrying on the K-Display legacy for the next generation, my primary focus is to ensure everyone on the team has the resources they need to succeed in their role. My contributions to K-Display include supporting the GM whenever he is pulled in multiple directions, managing relations between the investors and the manufacturing team, fostering sales and networking opportunities for K-Display, and ensuring the business has the resources is needs to continue thriving for its next 40 years.

Greater Chicago Area

As the Managing Member, I direct this company to invest in and operate small manufacturing businesses in the Greater Chicago Area. Our primary focus is to support founders/owners who are seeking retirement and wish for their legacy to be sustained. We offer liquidation options that prioritize retaining and growing your existing staff, ensuring your business thrives throughout the transition and beyond, and positioning your company in the marketplace in a sustainable way. We measure our success by our ability to ensure job security for the team members that have dedicated their careers to your business so far, to provide impressive returns to the investors who support us in our mission, and to provide educational and development opportunities to the people who work in the businesses we manage.

Sugar Grove, Illinois, United States

As the COO, I am solely responsible for running the company on behalf of the ownership team. During my first five years of managing the company after the founders retired, the company has increased revenue to nearly 2.5 times that of fiscal year 2017, the company became ITAR registered and ISO 9001:2015 certified, we designed and constructed a new facility more than twice the size of our previous location, and we have grown the team threefold in our endeavor to provide outstanding service and EMI/RFI shielding coatings to our customers.

Woodridge, Illinois, United States

During my time with The Morey Corporation, I fulfilled the following roles:--- 01/2017 through 10/2017: Production Engineering Manager, High Volume Business Segment--- 07/2016 through 12/2016: Continuous Improvement Manager--- 06/2015 through 06/2016: Manufacturing Engineering ManagerIn my last three months with the company, I accepted the role of Interim Compliance Manager in addition to my primary function; in this capacity, I oversaw the recertification preparations and audits of the company's ISO 9001:2015 and IATF 2016 Quality Management Systems.

Lisle, Illinois, United States

During my time with Navistar, I held the following roles:--- 05/2013 through 06/2015: Prototype Engine Build Manager--- 11/2012 through 04/2013: Inventory Management Specialist--- 01/2012 through 11/2012: Sr. Aerodynamics Integration EngineerI also participated in the UIUC recruiting team, I was a volunteer Project Manager for the Hoeft Technology and Management Program student team while Navistar was a corporate sponsor of the program, and I founded the Melrose Park Technical Center division of the Engineering Culture Council.

Portland, Oregon Area

I completed three six month roles consisting of the following responsibilities:--- Production Supervisor: Deer Creek Annex, PCC Airfoils--- Maintenance Engineer: Houston Turbine Forge, Wyman Gordon--- Process Engineer: Houston Turbine Forge, Wyman Gordon During my time with PCC, I also volunteered to create the first intercontinental management program benchmarking initiative within the company. In this volunteer capacity, I held the informal title of Development Program Communications Director.

Champaign, Illinois, United States

Completed Autonomous Vehicle research and designed a telematics field test.Created the State Farm Driver Feedback iPhone application concept that resulted in the Drive Safe and Save app.

Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States

Isolated 3 key causes of variation in the gauging of final drive ring gears.Analyzed, and made recommendations to improve the process control of, the heat treatment of the ring gears.

Master’S Degree, Aerospace Engineering

I integrated a certificate in Systems Engineering and a certificate in Business Management for Engineers into my degree program. My.

Bachelor Of Science, Aerospace Engineering

Activities and Societies: Hoeft Technology and Management Program, Alpha Chi Rho Fraternity: Phi Kappa Chapter, Illini Racquetball Club