Schmittzehe's legacy lives on at VIP Industries

Hilary Schmittzehe's friends and family are saying goodbye to him this week, but his legacy lives on in the company he helped start and the employees whose lives he touched.

The longtime CEO of VIP Industries died Monday at age 84.

"He spent a big part of his life toward making life better for the handicapped," said Richard Aufdenberg, chairman of VIP's board of directors.

VIP was established in 1967 under Senate Bill 53, which provides for the employment of people with developmental disabilities, and offers jobs, housing and social activities to qualified individuals in Southeast Missouri.

The company employs 175 people, according to its website, vipindustries.com.

"It is a place where people can work who cannot handle mainstream work due to mental abilities or due to physical abilities," Aufdenberg said. "They are paid based on what their ability is. ... It is not only a place for them to work; it is a place for them to have a social life and to interact with their peers."

Some VIP employees rely on wheelchairs or walkers to help them with mobility; others have mental disabilities.

"It does have a pretty broad range," Aufdenberg said.

The not-for-profit company grew out of Schmittzehe's concern for his own children, Aufdenberg said.

"He had two daughters that were handicapped, mentally and physically both," he said. "Him and there were several other parents -- they were instrumental in putting together a workshop program for the handicapped, because if you don't have something, [the kids are] going to sit at home and be couch potatoes."

The Cape County Board for the Developmentally Disabled reimburses VIP for the cost of running its workshop.

In 2011, VIP and the board became involved in a legal dispute after the board stopped making payments.

VIP sued the board for breach of contract, seeking more than $200,000 in back payments; the board responded with a countersuit, claiming VIP owed it $1.5 million for money the company had been reimbursed. The two entities settled the dispute in 2012.

Aufdenberg said his 38-year-old son, who has Down syndrome, has worked at VIP for 20 years and loves his job and the social activities VIP offers, including a bowling league.

"He just can't wait until Monday comes so he can get back to work," Aufdenberg said. "Very few people look forward to Monday."

At some point, he said, the board will have to make some decisions about leadership, but for the moment, the focus is on paying respects to Schmittzehe and keeping up with daily operations.

"As far as the work environment, nothing is going to change there," Aufdenberg said. " ... In the near future, when the board has a chance to meet, we will address the transition stage."

In the meantime, VIP will be fine, Aufdenberg said.

"We have a lot of very qualified people there," he said. "A lot of people can step in and keep the day-to-day activities going."

He said Schmittzehe was "what you'd call semiretired," but he remained actively involved with VIP.

"He was a very, very industrious, hardworking person," Aufdenberg said. "When he said he was going to cut back to half-time, I said, 'Does that mean 40 hours, then?'"

Visitation for Schmittzehe will be from 4 to 8 p.m. today at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home, with parish prayers at 7 p.m.

His funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Mary's Cathedral, according to an obituary from the funeral home.

epriddy@semissourian.com

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