Steven Wood Schmader - Author

Steven Wood Schmader is the president of the Boise River Festival, which he started from scratch in 1991. Today with the support of more then 750 sponsors and 3,700 volunteers, the festival features more than 400 events and reaches an aggregate attendance of over 1 million.

The Boise River Festival has been recognized as one of the Top 100 Events in North America, Top 40 Events in the Country, Top 10 summer Festivals in the United States, and Top 3 New Events, Worldwide, Created in the last 10 Years.

Schmader also holds the position of executive director of NCAA college football's newest bowl game, the Sports Humanitarian Bowl, played in Boise, and for which the Boise River Festival serves as the managing organization.

Previously, Schmader spent 12 years in the special events industry working for Up With People as their director of special events.

His many credits include the direction of Up With People's 25th Anniversary Silver Celebration, the Welcome Home Celebration for released U.S. hostage Jess "Jon" Turner, the annual induction ceremonies for the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame, the opening of the 60th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, the Washington D.C. Fourth of July Celebration of the Mall, and was on the event team for Super Bowl XX in New Orleans.

Schmader is the chairman-elect of the International Festivals and Events Association (IFEA) and past president of the Rocky Mountain Festivals and Events Association, which he helped found.

The coauthor of this book, the complete IFEA Library of resources, and Building Marketing Alliances (published by the International Council of Air Shows), Schmader is a frequent and highly rated speaker on industry-related topics.