Kari Curtis Schmidt, CCE, IOM

Keri Schmidt serves as the President & CEO of the largest single-county chamber in the Greater Houston region. Under her leadership, the US Chamber of Commerce awarded the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce 5-Star Accreditation for its sound policies, effective organizational procedures, and positive impact on the community.

Schmidt earned her Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) designation from the ACCE in 2016. The CCE program is designed to assess and test the applicant's knowledge of the core chamber management areas. 

Schmidt’s most significant achievements as President/CEO is ensuring that the chamber reflects the rich cultural diversity of the Fort Bend community. Schmidt believes that this issue is critical for the Chamber’s viability and future success. Her commitment with the support of her board has remade the Fort Bend Chamber into a future-focused organization that is a lightning rod for inclusion in all aspects of our community. 

The Sugar Land Wine & Food Affair was established in 2003 by Schmidt. One of the most anticipated culinary events in Texas. Recently, she negotiated a partnership with an international events company, IWSC to take the event to the next level. 

She is a 2010 graduate of the US Chamber of Commerce Institute of Organizational Management at Loyola Marymount in LA a premier professional development program. She is also a graduate of the Fort Bend Leadership Forum class of 2003 and a graduate of the Excellence For Nonprofit Leadership class of 2012. 

Prior to joining the Chamber, Schmidt was Senior VP with a national bank for over 16 years and managed multi-state branch operations. She received her BS in Environmental Design and Business from the University of Northern Iowa. She is a current Board member for the Sugar Land Wine & Food Affair, LLC and the Texas Chamber of Commerce Executives and a past Board member for the Association of Business. Schmidt is a Senior Fellow of the American Leadership Class of XLV.