Originally from the Chicago area, Dr. David Schmidt and his wife, Vanessa, were both on the insurance broker career path when they each decided to go different directions professionally. He opted for medical school (much more interesting and gratifying) and she chose chef school (again, more interesting and gratifying in a different way).

The newly educated couple moved to Northern Colorado in 1996 after medical school so Dr. Schmidt could complete his residency. They quickly found themselves intrigued by living in a smaller community with so much to do, especially in terms of outdoor activity for their young family.

“We actually banned video games in the house,” Dr. Schmidt mused, a move that has paid dividends in terms of their kids’ healthy lifestyles. His 20-year-old daughter Kaeli aspires to play professional soccer and 17-year-old son Nick is a competitive backcountry snowboarder.

Outside of practicing medicine, Dr. Schmidt describes himself as a “straightforward local dude” who loves just hanging out with his wife and family. The Schmidts also like spending time with neighborhood friends, going to dinner in Old Town Fort Collins, and embarking on the occasional camping excursion.

A longtime motorcycle enthusiast, Dr. Schmidt enjoys riding to and from work, around town, and around Northern Colorado. When his motorcycle is not parked outside of his South Lemay office, there’s a good chance you’ll find it patiently waiting outside a local purveyor of another keen interest —coffee. Good coffee. And he’ll be the first to tell you, beans that are locally roasted (including those in his kitchen) and ground fresh make all the difference.

“In some ways, riding motorcycles and roasting coffee are quite similar,” says Dr. Schmidt. “Both are kind of Zen-like in that they cleanse the mind from the busyness of the day. Both require great focus. You have to pay close attention to what you’re doing or it’s not going to turn out well.”