Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Rick Michaels' involvement in the cable industry dates back to 1968 when he became one of the original employees, and later, Vice President of TM Communications, the cable subsidiary of the Times Mirror Company. Rick then became Vice President of Cable Funding Corporation, a firm specializing in cable television financing and investments.
In 1973, he founded Communications Equity Associates (“CEA”) to provide service to a select group of cable industry clients who needed financial expertise. He has continued to lead the company into a full-service international brokerage and financial services firm, which includes the management of global private equity funds with committed capital of over $1 billion.
In 2000, Rick founded Atlantic American Partners (“AAP”), to provide investment banking services primarily to Florida middle market companies and the management of private investment funds in industries other than those represented by CEA.
In 2007, Rick joined with former Attorney General John Ashcroft of The Ashcroft Group to form an alliance (AshcroftCEA) to provide strategic consulting and investment and merchant banking services to middle market and growth companies in the global security arena.
Rick was raised in Jamaica, West Indies. He received his bachelor's degree from Tulane University, where he graduated magna cum laude, was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and was also a Tulane Scholar and Tulane Fellow. In addition, Rick studied at the London School of Economics and later received his master's degree from the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Pennsylvania. He also holds an honorary master's degree from St. Leo University. While in England, he was Assistant Manager and an on-air personality for Radio City, an offshore radio station. At the University of Pennsylvania, he received an American Broadcasting Corporation Fellowship. Rick currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Annenberg School of Communications, University of Pennsylvania, the North American Advisory Board of the London School of Economics and the Board of Visitors of the U.S. Naval Academy.
Rick is a member of the Cable TV Pioneers and serves on the Board of Directors of The Cable Center. Additionally, he holds memberships in American Broadcast Pioneers, The Institute of Directors (UK), The Ireland-United States Council for Commerce & Industry, Inc., Royal Overseas League (UK), and the National Cable Television Association. Rick serves as Co-Chairman of the Republican National Committee Regents. He is also active in several charitable organizations including the Board of Governors of the Irish Breakfast Club, the Knights of St. Patrick and a Board member and Fund Advisor for the Heernett Environmental Foundation.
Rick has hosted numerous conferences and seminars. He is highly regarded as a speaker and has appeared at industry gatherings around the world including Canada, the UK, Spain, Germany, UAE, China, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia.
Rick is a former Director of the Home Shopping Network, Inc., The Box Worldwide, the Florida Cable Television Association and the Minnesota Cable Television Association. Early in his career, Rick served on the Federal Communications Commission's Local, State and Federal Advisory Committee. He is also a former Board member of Enterprise Florida, the economic development committee created by the Florida Legislature.
In 1988, Rick was selected as Florida Entrepreneur of the Year by Venture Magazine and Arthur Young & Company. He is listed in Who's Who in the World, Who's Who in Finance and Industry and Who's Who in Cable Communications. Rick was honored as the first Marian B. Gardner Memorial Lecturer in Cable Accounting and Finance to the Smeal College of Business Administration at Pennsylvania State University. He was also a recipient of the prestigious University of South Florida Presidential Medal and was presented with the Free Enterprise “Man of the Year” award by the University of South Florida College of Business Administration in March 2004.