Employee Highlight: Jim Schmidt

Father, Barbecue Champion, and Volunteer

In a scene from the movie “The War,”  a father takes his son to a fair. At a point in the scene, his character becomes separated from his son while getting them cotton candy. He finds his son, being bullied and stops the fight. He then proceeds to give the cotton candy to the kids who instigated the fight, and they leave. His son asks why he gave them his cotton candy, to which he replies “It looked like no one had given them anything in a long time.”…

Jim Schmidt

Jim, the Aristocrat Mercedes-Benz service manager is not originally from Kansas City. Born in Philadelphia, he eventually moved to Connecticut, living his childhood on the East Coast. After being a rebellious “typical middle child,” Jim became interested in automobiles, eventually becoming a technician. Back in Connecticut, he got married to his wife, Jennifer. Shortly after they were married her father was transferred to Kansas City, and they came along too. In 1988, Jim moved to Kansas City and became a service advisor for the local Jaguar dealership, where after 3 months; he was promoted to service manager. Two months later, Aristocrat Motors purchased the Jaguar franchise, and that began his association with Aristocrat Motors.  Jim eventually moved to his current position as the Mercedes-Benz Service Manager, and today that role has expanded to include Porsche, Saab, Maserati, and smart. 

At home, Jim is the father to four daughters, three of which still live at home. His second oldest  daughter is keeping Jim and Jennifer busy preparing for a college soccer career, since she is being actively recruited by over 50 colleges. 

Jim is also a nationally recognized barbecue cook.  He and his partners in this endeavor have won numerous awards in all facets of this culinary competition both locally and regionally.  The entire staff at Aristocrat Motors will attest to this expertise since Jim is often found perfecting his craft by feeding the dealership at special functions.  

The amount of information regarding Jim and his history could fill chapters, but perhaps the most interesting aspect of his life is the commitment he has made to helping the homeless.

12 years ago, Jim’s wife, Jennifer, began helping out at a local charity called Uplift, where the mission is to provide hot meals, clothes and necessities to the homeless in the Kansas City Metro Area. She worked in the distribution center, where meals were prepared and the trucks were dispatched. One night, the truck crew was down a person, and she went along. She has been involved in the on site distribution ever since she was given that opportunity. Eventually she asked Jim to help out one night with the group was short a driver.  Jim has been driving distribution routes ever since.  This was a life-changing experience for Jim and for the numerous other people Jennifer and he have recruited to help them on their tours of Kansas City that most people don’t see or even imagine exist.

Uplift Van in Action

Uplift itself is operated completely on donations, a purely volunteer effort. Three nights per week, volunteers drive trucks to the homeless. Whether it be a street corner, a general area, or at one of the many camps deep in the woods, hot food makes its way into the areas of town where it is needed the most. In addition to hot meals, canned food items are distributed, giving the homeless something to hold them over on the days that the trucks aren’t operating. According to Jim, Uplift served 15,621 homeless people in 2010. The number of homeless in Kansas City has nearly doubled in the last year, creating an ever growing need for support.

Since Jim started working for uplift, he has met thousands of people in the Kansas City area, knowing many by name and usual location. He picks up a regular group every Sunday, takes them to get showered, do laundry…never does it seem that Jim’s free time isn’t occupied by something Uplift associated. By his involvement Jim has inspired countless Aristocrat Motors employees and family members to take up the cause as well.  Aristocrat Motor’s Service Departments provide the maintenance on the Uplift delivery vehicles. 

“It looked like they haven’t been given anything in a while.” The movie quote seems to apply to Jim’s personal philosophy on life. Often times the homeless he helps asks him why. “I’m here to serve you,” is always his response. He says that it is his belief that because he doesn’t live that life, it is his duty to help take care of those who do.

Uplift can be found on the web at www.Uplift.org