Brian Schmidt

Sr. Manager, Physical Security

Hometown: Richland, Washington

Last book you read/listened to: “Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds” by David Goggins

What was your career path to Zynga? I joined the Marines out of high school and pursued a career in Physical Security after attending college. I worked in various positions, of increased responsibility, for vendor security companies for almost a decade until I was given the opportunity to lead the security department for Zynga in 2018.

Who or what inspired you to pursue the career you have today? I’ve always found the most joy in life when I am in service to others. Working in the Physical Security industry awards me the opportunity to impact the lives of employees through programs that my department implements and working for a central services team allows these programs to impact large groups of people.

What do you enjoy most about working here? Working in the Physical Security department for a game company has always been a dream of mine. Over the last 6+ years, I’ve enjoyed coming to work every day because the people who work here are kind, intelligent, and ambitious.

Who are some of your major influences at work? I’ve been fortunate, during my time at Zynga and Take-Two, to have had two fantastic leaders as my manager, Ken Stuart and Joshua Levin-Soler. Ken has taught me so much about leadership and gave me the opportunity, and support, to grow in my role. Josh is the most knowledgeable person I have met in my industry; he is also an exceptional leader. Having managers who truly care about their reports is often rare, and I am grateful for their support and leadership.

In what ways would you like to see Veteran’s at Zynga grow? As this ERG continues to grow and mature I would love to see some virtual or in-person meetups.

What is your favorite aspect of being part of Veteran’s at Zynga? The community of veterans is a unique group of people with similar starts to their careers, often joining the military after high school. Connecting with this ERG brings me back to my time in the Marines and the camaraderie and esprit de corps that makes military service special.