|
King Weekly Sentinel https://kingsentinel.com/?p=4341 Export date: Fri Nov 22 11:36:21 2024 / +0000 GMT |
Entrepreneur Helga Schmidt keeps the dream alive Helga Schmidt has a strong sense of family, charity work and ensuring the sustainability of the family-owned ABC Group of Companies. She's seen above with son Tim, who's hosting the annual Tim and Brenda's Cruise for the Cure this July 20. By Mark Pavilons Mothers have a boundless capacity to love, and give advice. Great-grandmothers are among the wisest people on the planet. King Township's Helga Schmidt has all of these qualities, and just a little bit more. There's plenty of compassion in Helga Schmidt's heart. And a lot of strength and wisdom behind her eyes. Hers is the epitome of success stories, but it's far from a fairy tale. She may live in a “schloss,” but it's a testament to her and her late husband's hard work and determination. Mike and Helga Schmidt were the ultimate Canadian power couple, heading up ABC Group of Companies – one of the leading automotive parts suppliers. Launched by the late Mike Schmidt in 1974 with a single plant in Ontario, ABC has grown to become a global manufacturing enterprise. The company employs approximately 5,000 employees and has manufacturing facilities in Canada (Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia), the United States (Michigan, Kentucky, Tennessee), Mexico, Brazil, Spain, Poland and China, as well as offices in Japan and Germany. They cover every facet of the plastics processing technologies, systems and components for the global automotive industry, fluid management, flexible products, interior and exterior systems and air induction systems. It's ranked as one of the top industrial automotive blow-molders in North America. ABC produces products from concept to production for a constantly growing number of unique automotive components and systems. The research and development, materials, design, testing, tooling, machines, processing technologies and secondary assembly systems are all supplied and controlled within the company, resulting in faster development, increased design flexibility, improved efficiencies in manufacturing and assembly, significant cost savings, and enhanced quality and performance. This is an empire built by hand, brick by brick and employee by employee. ABC marks its 40th anniversary this year and Ms. Schmidt is excited about the fact they reached $1 billion in annual sales. Mike is likely smiling down on her from above. “He would be ecstatic,” she said. And despite being a little shy, she does not hesitate to exclaim “ABC is the best in Canada.” She credits the good team of employees, some of whom have been with the company since the very beginning. Ms. Schmidt has been president, CEO and chairman of the family owned company for the past four years, reaching the pinnacle of entrepreneurship. She's been named as one of the most powerful and influential business women in the nation. With power comes great responsibility. And Helga is committed to her company and those very employees who help keep it all together. She still goes into ABC head offices on a weekly basis, if only to stroll down the corridors and say hello to employees, many of whom she knows by name. “You have to look after the people who were there from the beginning,” she said. She can't let go of this corporation which she helped nurture. ABC is not only a global success story, it's also a reflection of Mike's ambition, insight and commitment. Mike learned by doing and his hands-on approach helped make ABC one of the biggest and best. Leaving post-war Europe to embark on a new life in Canada was a struggle and a challenge. While very young at the time, Ms. Schmidt remembers the war years and Allied bombings of the port city of Bremerhaven. The couple came to Canada, along with their two-year-old son Frank in 1956, with roughly $64 in their pockets. They worked hard for the next 10 years – Helga did hairstyling and Mike did everything from pumping gas to digging ditches, to make ends meet. That first decade in a new land garnered them a savings of $100 and Helga raised three children, still working day and night. “I asked myself often, how did I do it?” she remarked. “You had to put food on the table.” They had their ups and downs like everyone else and a turning point came when they purchased their first house in Rexdale, that came with a sense of achievement. Mike had an interest in plastics and constantly tinkered with machinery and ideas. He worked day and night in his first company, Supreme Casting, fine-tuning the process and products. It paid off in 1968 when they created their first automotive product – a plastic windshield washer fluid reservoir (the mainstay of vehicles to this day). And so the empire began and grew at an exponential rate. The Schmidts' story is not unlike those of other self-made industry icons such as Magna's Frank Stronach and Husky's Robert Schad. While she can laugh about it now, those early years in Canada were extremely challenging. Success hasn't changed Helga Schmidt one iota. Maybe it's increased the size of her heart a little bit. She's passionate about giving back to the land that allowed them to prosper. And give back she does. Helga and Mike Schmidt were praised by the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) this spring for their $3 million donation. “Canada has been a wonderful place to live and raise our family and we would like to give back to the community,” she said. “What better way then by supporting the ROM's next century?” The funds will be directed to making the ROM a warm, inviting place to visit with landscape design work, a theatre and cafe. Closer to home, ABC supports the efforts of Tim Schmidt and the annual Tim and Brenda's Cruise for the Cure fundraising car show, to be held July 20 this year. This event has raised more than $200,000 for charities such as Alzheimer's, prostate cancer research and Shriners. She supports Tim's passion for cars and the charity work he does. Ms. Schmidt said she hopes to give even more to charity, focusing on a cause that assists abused women. She's also a regular supporter of Salute to Vienna concert productions that brings performances to major cities around the world. It marks its 20th anniversary in 2015. Her journey had its fair share of challenges and heartbreak. Her son Frank passed away in 2001 from cancer at age 48, leaving behind a wife and four children. Mike was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in late 2004 and passed away in January 2009. It was a horrible and sad end to brilliant man's journey. Married at 17, Helga and Mike enjoyed a 55-year marriage and a bond and partnership that few others can boast. Helga has no time for regrets or heartache. She gives with warm hands and she'll continue to ensure ABC's sustainability. She's blessed because of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her love of family is strong, and so is her passion to help others and preserve ABC's legacy. As she looks out at the countryside each morning, she counts her blessings. The surroundings are beautiful, as is the well appointed home. While the house may be a bit on the large size, it was a meaningful purchase. Helga Schmidt doesn't have to do her own hair these days. She doesn't really have to do anything. But she does. |
| Excerpt: Mothers have a boundless capacity to love, and give advice. Great-grandmothers are among the wisest people on the planet. King Township’s Helga Schmidt has all of these qualities, and just a little bit more. |
|
Post date: 2014-07-02 11:22:05 Post date GMT: 2014-07-02 15:22:05 Post modified date: 2014-08-06 10:37:33 Post modified date GMT: 2014-08-06 14:37:33 |
|
Export date: Fri Nov 22 11:36:21 2024 / +0000 GMT This page was exported from King Weekly Sentinel [ https://kingsentinel.com ] Export of Post and Page has been powered by [ Universal Post Manager ] plugin from www.ProfProjects.com |
