President of Steel In the Air

About Ken Schmidt

MESSAGE FROM THE
PRESIDENT

Welcome to Steel in the Air! We’ve created this website to be a valuable public resource for all things Cell Site Lease related, and we’re continuously updating it with pertinent and timely industry news for property owners, government entities and investors. We hope our articles are of interest.

Since 2004, I have spent more than 20,000 hours helping property owners (mostly private landowners) resolve cell tower lease issues, optimize lease rates, and understand the wireless telecom industry as a whole. I personally have assisted more than 3,000 clients all across the country to make educated decisions when faced with telecom lease proposals, lease amendments, and buyout offers. Because of my lengthy and extensive experience, I am proud to say I know the cell tower and wireless infrastructure industry inside out and from the top down. 

Not only am I familiar with the bargaining positions (and motives) of all major players, but I’m also intimately attuned to the starting and breaking points of any lease terms so I can accurately advise my clients on how hard to push during negotiations. In addition, my team is comprised of the most well-trained and best cell tower lease experts in the country. We have the experience and expertise to solve any issue involving any aspect of cellular lease negotiations.

Malcolm Gladwell said that it takes 10,000 hours to become an expert. If that’s true, then we are experts many times over. You can rely on us; we are steadfast and loyal, and we work on your behalf – not for the big companies. We work for landowners almost exclusively, and we promise never to sell you short.

Biography

Mr. Ken Schmidt, President of Steel in the Air, is considered to be a well-seasoned thought leader in the cell tower and wireless infrastructure industry, and has advised and counseled over 150 municipalities on cell tower lease-related issues, in addition to thousands of private landowners, and major airlines, subway systems, universities and public utilities. Mr. Schmidt has also been interviewed and quoted in many newspapers and magazines such as The New York Times, Bloomberg, Inside Self Storage, Brownfield News, RCR News, and AGL Magazine regarding issues pertaining to cell towers and how the telecom industry impacts individuals and communities. Ken has also spoken at numerous industry events, including CTIA’s Annual Tower and Small Cell Summit and the US Department of the Navy’s Annual Appraisal Conference.

Steel in the Air’s President, Ken Schmidt, holds a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of Florida and a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Truman State University in Missouri. In 2004, after having provided site acquisition, zoning, and permitting services on behalf of Nextel, T-Mobile, and a number of tower companies (and learning everything there was to know about telecom leases and the industry players who served the market), Steel in the Air was created. Ken’s explicit original purpose and the mission of his company was to represent landowners in lease negotiations against wireless carriers and tower companies.

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