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| Joe Ricketts | |
|---|---|
| Name | Joseph E. Ricketts |
| Birth date | 11 1941 1941 |
| Birth place | * Nebraska City, Nebraska |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur, businessman, philanthropist |
| Known for | Founder of TD Ameritrade |
| Spouse | * Suzanne Ricketts |
| Children | * Pete Ricketts * Don Ricketts * Tom Ricketts * Todd Ricketts * Neil Ricketts |
Joe Ricketts
Joe Ricketts is an American entrepreneur and philanthropist known for founding the discount brokerage firm that became TD Ameritrade. He has been active in finance, venture capital, media, conservation, and political philanthropy, engaging with institutions and figures across Wall Street, Chicago, Nebraska, and international finance circles. Ricketts's activities intersect with prominent companies, nonprofit organizations, political campaigns, and cultural institutions.
Born in Nebraska City, Nebraska, Ricketts attended local schools before enrolling at Creighton University and later transferring to University of Nebraska–Lincoln. He was influenced by Midwestern business figures and regional agricultural networks including connections to Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska. Early mentors and local institutions such as Union Pacific Railroad, regional banks, and community organizations shaped his understanding of commerce and finance.
Ricketts launched his career in sales and entrepreneurship with ties to regional brokerage firms and Chicago Mercantile Exchange networks, later founding a company that evolved into TD Ameritrade through mergers and acquisitions involving firms such as AOL, Schwab, E*TRADE, and Charles Schwab Corporation. His firm participated in industry-wide shifts tied to deregulation landmarks such as decisions by the Securities and Exchange Commission and market changes following events like the Dot-com bubble. Ricketts’s business strategy intersected with trading technologies developed in Silicon Valley, partnerships with banks like Toronto-Dominion Bank, and competitive dynamics with institutions such as Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.
Beyond brokerage, Ricketts invested in media, sports, and venture capital, involving entities such as Chicago Cubs, Tribune Company, The New York Times Company, Facebook, and startups connected to Silicon Valley accelerators and Harvard University alumni ventures. He founded and funded organizations that worked with conservation groups like The Nature Conservancy and cultural institutions including Art Institute of Chicago and Field Museum of Natural History. Ricketts’s portfolio included partnerships with private equity firms similar to Blackstone Group and collaborations with technology companies reminiscent of Microsoft, Intel, Apple Inc., and Amazon (company) executives. His investments linked to philanthropic capital structures used by institutions such as Gates Foundation donors and university endowments like those at Stanford University and University of Chicago.
Ricketts established foundations and donor-advised funds engaging with organizations such as United Way, Boy Scouts of America, Natural Resources Defense Council, and political committees connected to Republican National Committee efforts. He supported candidates and public figures including interactions with governors and senators in Nebraska and nationally, often aligning with conservative groups and think tanks comparable to Heritage Foundation and American Enterprise Institute. His political contributions intersected with high-profile campaigns, occasionally involving coordination with figures from Washington, D.C., fundraising networks in New York City, and advocacy linked to policy debates involving the U.S. Congress.
Ricketts has faced criticism related to political donations and media commentary, drawing responses from journalists at outlets like The New York Times, Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, and broadcasters such as CNN and Fox News. Public disputes involved debates over editorial content in publications comparable to USA Today and nonprofit investigative groups similar to ProPublica. Controversies have also engaged civil rights organizations and municipal officials in Chicago and Omaha and prompted legal and regulatory scrutiny from agencies such as the Federal Election Commission and Securities and Exchange Commission.
Ricketts is married to Suzanne Ricketts and is the patriarch of a family active in business, media, and politics; his children include Pete Ricketts, who served as Governor of Nebraska and U.S. political officeholder, and Tom Ricketts, principal owner of Chicago Cubs. Family activities intersect with institutions such as University of Nebraska athletics, philanthropic boards at museums like the Field Museum, and civic organizations in Chicago and Omaha. The family has ties to national figures and regional leaders across Midwest United States politics and commerce.
Category:American businesspeople Category:Philanthropists from Nebraska