Schneitter Fireworks: An American dream
By Tia Phillips Schneitter Fireworks
The legacy
For more than 129 years the words “Schneitter” and “fireworks” have been nearly synonymous around the world. Schneitter Fireworks is a family owned business whose roots started in 1895 by a serial entrepreneur who seemingly stumbled into the business right before it exploded (no pun intended.) After stints in the lumber, radio and sporting good industries, H.E. Schneitter fell upon something that would change the face of fireworks forever. He began receiving samples of fireworks along with his shipments of sporting goods, and like any good entrepreneur, he could not just let the opportunity go to waste.
H.E. started selling these samples out of the back of his car, and the residents of St. Joseph and surrounding areas began seeking him out to buy his stock faster than he could get them. The business grew so rapidly, he decided to close his radio and sporting goods companies and sell the lumberyard to focus on what is today Schneitter Fireworks & Importing Company. He opened the original Schneitter Fireworks warehouse in historic downtown St. Joseph, dedicating all his energy to this one business until his death in 1965. He left the business to his son H.E. (Ed) Schneitter, Jr.
Ed and his wife Mary took the business to the next level by becoming intricately involved in the fireworks business. To them, it wasn’t just a job — it defined how they lived and what they did. They took trips to China regularly to ensure the quality of the product, began to involve their son, Richard, in the process, and continued to import the best quality 1.3G and 1.4G fireworks on the market. As years went by, Schneitter Fireworks continued to import the best quality brands at the lowest price possible. Perhaps most importantly, Ed and Richard were passionate about the safety and legality of the products they provided. Their customers were their number one priority — and it showed. Second only to their relationship with their customers were the ones they had with their suppliers. In fact, one of the suppliers with whom they had a strong partnership, the Po Sing Firecracker Factory, created firecrackers specifically for Ed and Richard. The label bore the name “Peacock” and, if you are lucky to find any of these or the “Devil Dog” Firecracker, another Schneitter original, hold on to them, as they are extremely rare and collectible.
As business continued to boom under the careful management of father and son, Schneitter Fireworks moved to a much larger location off of 1-29 highway. The new space was procured in 1994 and the much-needed space was filled with fireworks in time for the fireworks season. In March of 2003, Richard passed away and Ed was forced to carry on the business without his son. Richard’s wife, Judith (Judy), and daughters, Stacy and Tracy, worked for Ed in the office, along with longtime Schneitter Fireworks employee, Susan Reeves (Sue) through his passing not quite one year later in February of 2004.
Sue and Judy carried on the Schneitter’s way of business including great customer service, importing quality products at the best prices they could negotiate, all while teaching Ed’s granddaughters the ins-and-outs of the of the business to prepare them to take over full control of operations, which would keep their family legacy alive through another generation.
Innovation
Stacy Schneitter Blake and Tracy Schneitter Siewert are the current Co-Owners of Schneitter Fireworks & Importing Co. They work and partner with the Schneitter Service Team and Chinese suppliers to import the best quality and value fireworks and are committed to and value the relationships of everyone around them.
Great-granddaughters of the forward-thinking man that saw what this business could become, Stacy and Tracy are 4th generation Schneitters and it shows. Innovation and hard work run in the family, and this didn’t stop with the previous generation.
The Schneitter sisters launched their own line of fireworks in 2020, carrying on a legacy that began with her great-grandfather.
“Throughout our years in the fireworks business we were constantly thinking of ways to facilitate new and exciting ways for families all over to create special memories and how we can set ourselves apart from the crowd. As our 125th anniversary grew closer in 2020, we challenged ourselves to find a way to celebrate this monumental achievement of longevity, “ Stacy commented.
When asked about the process they went through to create their own line, Stacy and Tracy said the process started with many conversations and brainstorming sessions with their team. Their first step was to choose their suppliers.
“We looked at a ton of options and finally chose multiple partners. These partners are the best of the best suppliers in China, chosen specifically to ensure our brand and represent us sisters and Schneitters as a whole.”
They wanted to work with suppliers that would be worth placing their logo on. A few more brainstorming sessions with their team resulted in the birth of “Danger Doll.”
The line is rooted in a World War II theme dedicated to their father, an Air National Guardsman who loved to fly airplanes. They also incorporated a female logo into their design, which represents the strong women who lead the team and work at Schneitter Fireworks.
“The best part of this project is how much we were able to do as a team here at Schneitter’s. The most crucial parts of the development came from local artists on our staff, who designed all of the packaging and our logo itself,” Stacy added.
Global reach
In addition to co-running a booming business, Stacy Schneitter Blake is also the current President of the National Fireworks Association (NFA). Her grandparents and parents were some of the founding members of the NFA and helped the association in its infancy. Stacy has had the privilege of attending the NFA Expo for over two decades, a trip she has always been honored to be part of.
When asked how she came to the decision to run for NFA President, Stacy was quick to draw on her personal experiences.
“This past spring/summer, as I was contemplating on running for this position, I was at a local amusement park (Worlds of Fun) where our pyro team was asked to help another fireworks company shoot 50 nights of fireworks. As I was waiting for the show to start, I heard a little girl begging her parents to stay for the show. It was obvious by the look on her parent’s faces, they were unsure to stay after a long day at the park. I went over to them and softly said, “Hey, are you all wanting the best place to watch the show? My husband is the lead pyrotechnician tonight and I can help you find the best seat in the house.” I brought them to sit by us, and as soon as the first shot went off the little girl exclaimed….FIREWORKS!!!!! She was so full of joy, and absolutely loved every minute of that show. When the show was over her parents looked over at me with teary eyes and said, ‘Thank you, I am so glad we stayed.’”
Stacy is intimately familiar with the impact fireworks can have on families and the memories they share with each other. She went on to further explain her thoughts about that evening.
“As a pyro we don’t always get to see the fruit of our labor, at times you can hear the “oohs and Ahhs” or the clapping and crowd at the end, other times we are so far away, we just hope the show captured the audience as we intended it to. That night, seeing it from the other side, it solidified my “why” I do what I do everyday. Why I love this industry. My ‘Why’ is to simply help people make memories through fireworks.”
In her role as NFA President, Stacy works alongside a team of skilled board members, committees, and safety experts to help support the fireworks industry and ensure future generations can count fireworks among their list of memories with their friends and family.
The Schneitter sisters work tirelessly together in their different strengths to give this company a new vision into the future of fireworks. They are committed to reaching their goal of making memories for others in every decision that is made at Schneitter Fireworks. Their love for their team, customers, suppliers, community, and family is second-to-none.
They now have kids of their own, and when asked if they expect their kids to take over the family business someday, Tracy said, “I hope one of them will. I was never sure if I would be a business owner growing up, but I can now say it’s the best job in the world. And Stacy and I both want that for our girls.”
