Having grown up in Billings, Mont., Schmidt spent much of his youth skiing at Red Lodge and is familiar with the community. He began his career at Solitude, Utah, but moved to Red Lodge in the late 1990s as a lift mechanic. After three years at the resort, Schmidt took a position with Leitner Lifts. Schmidt then returned to Solitude, where he led the lift team for six years. His next stop: China, where he was involved in the start-up of a resort there. Upon his return to the U.S., Schmidt worked for Deer Valley before finding his way back to Red Lodge. \