August 2014—Jerilyn Schmidt

Jerilyn Schmidt is not your typical business executive with a corner office.

In fact, she gave up her original office to make room for Speedway Printing’s newest copier—a Xerox J75. Jerilyn’s willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done goes far beyond her office layout; it’s an integral part of the Speedway philosophy.

For the last 25 years, Speedway Printing has provided St. Tammany businesses and individuals with all of their printing and copying needs. The company’s commitment to customer service and print quality were founded well before Speedway opened its doors in Mandeville in 1989. They were instilled in Jerilyn by her father (and namesake) Jerrel Hoffmann who owned his own print shops in Metairie and New Orleans East in the 1970s and 80s. Jerilyn worked side-by-side with her dad during college breaks before choosing printing as a full-time career path.

 “My dad died unexpectedly in 1983 and our family pulled together to keep his dream alive. He taught us that we should always do the best job possible and would constantly remind us of the importance of offering good, friendly and courteous service,” says Jerilyn.

 In 1988 they sold the New Orleans East store and Jerilyn began the path toward opening a location in Mandeville. “We opened Speedway in Mandeville on August 15, 1989. From the very beginning, we established a reputation as an experienced and professional printing company with the ability to meet impossible deadlines.” It was true 25 years ago and is still true today. “People have always tended to wait until the last minute for their print projects. That has not changed. But it used to be that people would call in a panic because they needed something printed in two days, now they call needing it in two hours!”

Over the years, printing has become quicker, more efficient and more cost effective. “Now, we can make changes on a computer screen and have the customer see it exactly how it will appear in print,” says Jerilyn.

The flexibility that people now have with printing options has opened a new level of creativity and fun. Jerilyn said there is always a level of excitement that comes with delivering a new project to a customer. “It’s rewarding to be a part of a project—sometimes from concept and design all the way to printing and delivery—and be there when the customer sees the final product for the first time.”

Of course, printing technology is not the only thing that has changed over the last 25 years. When Jerilyn opened Speedway, she was the mother of three children under the age of four. “I remember having playpens and swings in my office so that I could still get the bookkeeping done. People ask me how I managed to get things done in the early days of the business. All I can say is that I must have been a lot more organized when they were little,” she laughed.

Today, Jerilyn’s daughter Jessica is a mother herself and lives in Mandeville with her nine-year-old son Tanner, while Justin, the oldest of Jerilyn’s two sons, lives in Houston and is engaged to be married to Leighann Fritscher. Her youngest son, Jared shares a passion for the printing business and works at Speedway with his mom.

“Family is the most important thing to me, both as a mother and as a business owner,” Jerilyn said. “We cross-train all of our employees so that they can step in and get the job done if someone needs to be out of the office for a family illness, emergency or vacation.”

Speedway’s teamwork dynamic is one of the reasons it has been voted the Northshore’s Best in 2013 by Sophisticated Woman Magazine readers and is a recipient of the 2010 and 2013 St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce’s Service with a Smile Award.

“We’ve built a great team over the years, and many of our employees have been with us for more than a decade,” Jerilyn said. “There is a camaraderie among the staff that makes Speedway special. And it extends to our customers as well. As a local business, we are actively involved with and vested in our community. That’s what we mean when we say we want to be your printer.”

Maintaining a balance between work and play is something Jerilyn admits is still a challenge. But she’s getting better at it. She loves to travel with her companion Todd McConnell and has taken multiple cruises over the years to places like Bermuda, Alaska and throughout the Caribbean. She joked that when anyone says the word “vacation,” she jumps in with the question, “When?”

While getting away for vacations and for long weekends has gotten much easier, Jerilyn is quick to note that she’s not giving up the reins anytime soon. “The industry has changed over the years. We have been fortunate to be able to change with it. Printing is a great business and I love what I do at Speedway. As long as it is here, I am going to be working.”

Speedway Printing is located in Mandeville at 2575 N. Causeway Blvd. (Service Road). For more information, you can call 985-626-0032 or visit their website speedwayprinting.net.