Joe Ricketts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joe Ricketts
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Ricketts in 2018
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| Born | July 16, 1941 Nebraska City, Nebraska, U.S.
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| Education | Creighton University (BA) |
| Occupation | Businessman MLB owner/executive |
| Known for | founding TD Ameritrade |
| Title | Owner, Chicago Cubs |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) |
Marlene Volkmer (m. 1963)
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| Children |
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| Awards | 2016 World Series champion |
John Joseph Ricketts (born July 16, 1941) is a successful American businessman. He started and used to lead TD Ameritrade, a big company that helps people invest money. As of 2024, he is estimated to be very wealthy. Mr. Ricketts has also started other businesses like High Plains Bison, which sells bison meat, and The American Film Company, which makes movies. He also helps others through different charities. Since October 2009, his family has owned the Chicago Cubs, a famous baseball team in Major League Baseball.
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Early Life and Family
John Joseph Ricketts grew up in Nebraska City, Nebraska. His parents were Florence M. and Donavon Platte Ricketts. He went to St. Bernard's Academy in Nebraska City. There, he met Marlene Margaret Volkmer, who would become his wife. They both finished school in 1959.
Mr. Ricketts earned a bachelor's degree from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1968. Joe and Marlene Ricketts have four children: Pete, Thomas, Laura, and Todd. They were raised in the Catholic faith. Today, Mr. Ricketts lives in Hoback Basin, Wyoming.
Starting TD Ameritrade
In 1975, Mr. Ricketts and some friends each invested $12,500. They used this money to start a company called First Omaha Securities. This company helped people buy and sell stocks. Over time, First Omaha Securities grew through mergers and became what is now known as TD Ameritrade. Mr. Ricketts stepped down from the TD Ameritrade board in October 2011. He wanted to focus on starting new businesses and helping others through charity work.
Business Ventures
High Plains Bison
In 2004, Mr. Ricketts started High Plains Bison. This company sells natural bison meat. You can buy their products online or in stores. High Plains Bison is also the official bison seller at Chicago's Wrigley Field. Some of the bison are raised on a ranch in Wyoming that Mr. Ricketts owns. There is also a four-bedroom lodge on the property called The Lodge at Jackson Fork Ranch.
The American Film Company
In 2008, Mr. Ricketts founded The American Film Company. This company makes movies based on true stories from American history. Their first movie was The Conspirator, a historical drama film released in 2010. It was directed by Robert Redford.
Owning the Chicago Cubs
In October 2009, the Ricketts family bought most of the Chicago Cubs baseball team. They also bought Wrigley Field, the Cubs' home stadium. The Ricketts family became the eighth group to own the team in its long history. While Joe Ricketts is not directly involved in running the team, his son, Tom Ricketts, is the Cubs chairman. His other three children, Pete, Laura, and Todd, are on the team's board of directors. In 2016, seven years after buying the team, the Cubs won the World Series. This was a huge win, ending a 108-year wait for a championship.
DNAinfo.com and Straight Arrow News
In 2009, Mr. Ricketts started DNAinfo.com. This was a digital news service that covered local news in New York City and Chicago. He closed it down in November 2017.
In 2021, Mr. Ricketts launched another digital news service called Straight Arrow News. This news service covers national news. It aims to be a "trustworthy source of news and information" and says it provides "Unbiased. Straight facts." The company is based in Omaha, Nebraska, and has journalists across the country. Straight Arrow News also works with Ground News for some of its news.
Political Activities
Mr. Ricketts has been involved in politics. He helped start the Campaign for Primary Accountability (CPA). This group aimed to challenge both Democratic and Republican politicians in primary elections.
In 2010, Mr. Ricketts led a campaign against what he saw as wasteful government spending. He created an organization called Taxpayers Against Earmarks. This group tried to show which members of Congress were spending too much. They worked with other groups to create a list of spending requests made by Congress members. The group successfully pushed for a temporary stop to these spending requests in 2010. Taxpayers Against Earmarks later changed its name to Ending Spending in 2011 to focus on a wider range of issues.
Mr. Ricketts also created and funded The Ending Spending Fund in 2010. This group spent money on advertisements in several Congressional races. The ads aimed to highlight politicians' spending habits. Mr. Ricketts chose to reveal that he was funding these efforts because he believes in being open about such activities.
Mr. Ricketts was on the board of trustees for the American Enterprise Institute from 1999 to 2007. His son, Pete Ricketts, is a member of the Republican National Committee. Pete Ricketts was elected governor of Nebraska in 2014 and is now a U.S. senator. His daughter, Laura Ricketts, is a supporter of gay rights and has helped raise money for political campaigns. Another son, Todd Ricketts, became the CEO of Ending Spending in 2013.
In the 2016 presidential election, Mr. Ricketts donated money to support Donald Trump. He also helped raise funds for other groups that supported Trump. Initially, during the Republican primary elections, Mr. Ricketts had supported a group that opposed Trump. He later changed his position, explaining that he believed Hillary Clinton's economic policies would harm the middle class.
Together with his wife, Mr. Ricketts contributed to Donald Trump's 2020 presidential campaign.
Helping Others (Philanthropy)
Mr. Ricketts started Opportunity Education. This is a non-profit organization that helps teachers. It gives them resources and support based on research. The goal is to help students learn the skills they need to do well in school and in life.
On September 26, 2013, the president of Louisiana College, Joe W. Aguillard, gave Mr. Ricketts and his brother, Jim, special awards. These were called the Trustees' Distinguished Service Awards.
