As president of the Triple-A Sounds, Schmittou was selected as the American Association's Executive of the Year in 1987 and 1989, as well as the "Sporting News" Triple-A Executive of the Year in 1989. The 1996 season marked the last that Schmittou was the team's president and part owner. With the city prepared to welcome a National Football League franchise, the Tennessee Titans, Schmittou felt that revenue would be drawn away from his baseball team, so he and businessman Walter Nipper sold their 59 percent stake in the Sounds to Chicago-based businessmen Al Gordon, Mike Murtaugh, and Mike Woleben for an estimated $4 million.