Jon Schmieder Founder and CEO, Huddle Up Group By founding his own company in 2012, Jon Schmieder has put himself in the unusual position of partnering with CVBs/sports commissions and planners—or both simultaneously. A great case in point is Huddle Up’s recent efforts to facilitate the building of a $15 million facility that, come 2019, will make Tulsa, Oklahoma, the new home of USA BMX. To help sell the community on the investment, Schmieder dared to say sports tourism is not all heads in beds, noting the huge effect the move will have on the city’s schools through STEM programs. “He is more than willing to offer outside-the-box ideas and different perspectives for all of the organizations Huddle Up works with,” says Kindra Fry, executive director of sports and events at Bryan College Station (Texas) CVB. Huddle Up’s roster of clients is a testament to its success. USA Badminton and USA Volleyball join USA BMX as NGB partners; CVBs include Bryan College Station and Fort Worth, Texas, and Mesa, Arizona. Sports commissions from Tulsa, Oklahoma; Detroit; and Jacksonville, Florida, also have long-standing relationships with Schmieder. “Many of them have brought us back for multiple projects,” says Schmieder. “This is the most rewarding part of our work, to be constantly engaged by our partners and to help them build strong sports tourism and events efforts.” Related Post: 25 Things You Didn’t Know About Jon Schmieder   The 2016 Game Changers are sponsored by Sports Pittsburgh.