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, Rick 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. Rick is the Founder and Chairman of the Atlantic American Partners, which provides investment banking services primarily to Florida companies and is also engaged in the management of private investment funds. He is also the Chairman and Co-Founder of Atlantic American Mortgage Fund, LLC. In 2007, Rick and former Attorney General John Ashcroft of The Ashcroft Group formed a strategic 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 College. While in England, Rick 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 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, Germany, UAE, the PRC, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia. 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.
Rick is a member of the Cable TV Pioneers and serves on the Board of Directors of The Cable Center where he is Chairman of the Development Committee and the Education Campaign Steering Committee. 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. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of CEA Acquisition Corporation, Baring Communications Equity Limited, London; Baring Communications Emerging Europe; Baring Communications Equity (Asia Pacific) Fund; Australasian Media and Communication Fund, as well as several charitable organizations including the Knights of St. Patrick. He 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 Communication Commission's Local, State and Federal Advisory Committee. He currently serves as Co-Chairman of the Republican National Committee Regents. He is a member of the Florida Victory Committee and the Republican Party of Florida Committee of 100.
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 is a Board Member and Fund Advisor for the Heernett Environmental Foundation. He is a former Board member of Enterprise Florida, the economic development committee created by the Florida Legislature. Rick was also a recipient of the prestigious University of South Florida Presidential Medal and was also presented with the Free Enterprise "Man of the Year" award by the University of South Florida College of Business Administration in March 2004.