Ms. Ricks founded Ricks Consulting Group, Inc. (now RBG Talent) which advises hedge funds and family offices on strategy expansion, human capital acquisition and talent development. She launched the firm in 1994 with her first client being one of today’s most successful hedge funds, D.E. Shaw.  She has counseled leading multi-strategy firms during their growth and expansion phase into new asset classes and strategies by helping clients understand their strategic and competitive positioning in the market place. Her proprietary research process has identified new investment opportunities for leading alternative firms to capitalize on synergies within their existing business structures. 

Ms. Ricks has closed hundreds of complex deals with the founders of multi-billion dollar, multi-strategy funds. Her proven track record of onboarding top talent to launch successful strategies has allowed her to align her revenue with her clients. Building on her extensive experience, Ms. Ricks created the proprietary POPM model (Portfolio of Portfolio Managers), which enabled her to be the first to bear “netting risk” on innovative deal structures.

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Ms. Ricks was one of four finalists in the Ernst & Young’s National Young Entrepreneur of Year Award in 1998 for her groundbreaking recruiter training venture, Internet Research Services, her second company that she ran alongside Ricks Consulting Group from 1996 to 1999.

 

In addition to her pioneering work in alternatives, Ms. Ricks is a recognized advocate for access to healthcare. Since her diagnosis with breast cancer and the debut of her HBO documentary, The Education of Dee Dee Ricks, she has given over 100 keynote addresses to Fortune 500 companies, foundations, financial service conferences and non-profit organizations in the US and abroad.  Ms. Ricks is a sought after inspirational speaker on access to quality healthcare, patient navigation, alternatives and entrepreneurship. She understands the social injustices underserved individuals face in healthcare treatment as well as in their day-to-day activities.  In addition to her commitment to access to healthcare and equality, she wanted to take on an issue that would impact her sons whom are avid hockey players.  After all, charity begins at home.  She is the Founder of The NextGEN AAA Foundation, a 501(c)3, that aims to shape and educate promising top-level youth hockey players, facilitating their path to higher education. 

 

She received her Bachelor of Science degree from the College of Health and Human Performance (HHP) at the University of Florida in 1991 and was inducted into the University of Florida’s HHP Hall of Fame in 2016.