Todd Ricketts

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Todd Ricketts
Cubs visit to the White House, Todd Ricketts (02) (cropped).jpg
Finance Chair of the Republican National Committee
In office
January 31, 2018 January 31, 2022

In July 2019 it was reported by the Chicago Tribune that for nearly a decade Ricketts has paid property taxes "based on the value of [a] much older and smaller house that he tore down to make way for [a] new one, providing him with a huge discount likely totaling tens of thousands of dollars over the years." [25] The Tribune article continued, "State law required Ricketts to notify the assessor that he had built a new home in 2010, but a spokesman for the assessor’s office said there’s no record that Ricketts ever did." [25] In 2013, according to the Tribune report, Ricketts' attorney filed a property tax appeal seeking a reduction based on the age and size of the house - and included in the paperwork a photo of the 100-year-old home that had been torn down years before. [25]

"Todd Ricketts should repay the property tax relief it now appears he was not entitled to. I am most concerned and frankly outraged by the apparent intentional misrepresentation," Cook County Board of Review commissioner Michael Cabonargi said in a statement. "By submitting a signed affidavit with outdated photos, it appears he sought to defraud the Board of Review. By not paying his fair share, Mr. Ricketts shifted his property taxes to other home owners." [26]

In September 2019, the Tribune reported that the Cook County Board of Review had referred to the state's attorney its investigation of Ricketts’ property tax appeal on his designer Wilmette home, after concluding that Ricketts and his real estate lawyer made "misrepresentations" that lowered their tax bills by tens of thousands of dollars. The tax board did not specify whether it was seeking a criminal or civil review. [27]

Philanthropy

Ricketts is vice chairman of The National WWII Museum in New Orleans, and is on the board of Opportunity Education Foundation. He is a Regent at Loyola University Chicago. He is also active with The Churchill Centre. [28]

Undercover Boss

On November 7, 2010, Ricketts appeared on the reality television series Undercover Boss , going incognito as an entry-level employee at Wrigley Field. His brother Tom was also considered for the part, but the Cubs chose Todd as Tom was considered too recognizable (though Todd was still recognized by an old roommate of his while parking cars and had to clue him in on the secret). [29] Ricketts grew out his beard and wore fake glasses, assuming his alias — unemployed roofer "Mark Dawson". [30] From August 30 to September 8, during a nine-game Cubs' homestand, Ricketts worked a number of jobs at the ballpark, selling hot dogs, operating the scoreboard, picking up trash, cleaning toilets, and raising the Cubs Win flag after the Cubs' 7-6 win over the Mets on September 4. He was fired from his maintenance job during the episode. [29]

Personal life

Ricketts is married to French-Canadian Sylvie Légère. [10] [31] His siblings are former Nebraska Governor and current Nebraska Junior US Senator Pete Ricketts, Lambda Legal board member Laura Ricketts, and Incapital CEO Thomas S. Ricketts. [32]

Awards and honors

References

  1. 1 2 "Todd Ricketts moves up to major leagues of government". Chicago Sun Times. November 30, 2016. Archived from the original on October 13, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Sweet, Lynn (November 30, 2016). "Trump taps Cubs' Todd Ricketts for deputy Commerce post". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on February 6, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2016.
  3. 1 2 "Cubs' Todd Ricketts withdraws name for Trump's Cabinet". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2017-04-19.
  4. 1 2 Todd Ricketts named new RNC Finance Chairman - NPR.org
  5. "Thomas S. Ricketts". Forbes Biographies. Archived from the original on February 3, 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2009.
  6. Kotlowitz, Alex. "Trump Collides with the World of Baseball". The New Yorker. Retrieved 2020-10-21.
  7. "#359 J. Joseph Ricketts – The Forbes 400 Richest Americans 2024". Forbes. February 16, 2025.
  8. "Todd Ricketts, Cubs co-owner, picked to serve as deputy commerce secretary". Chicago Tribune. November 30, 2016.
  9. 1 2 Sweet, Lynn (November 24, 2016). "Sweet: Cubs' Todd Ricketts in line for deputy Commerce secretary". Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on November 26, 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  10. 1 2 Feldman, Kate (January 19, 2016). "Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts blasts 'obnoxious' Mets fans". NY Daily News.
  11. 1 2 Gutierrez, Carl (2009-01-25). "Ricketts Wriggling Into Wrigley Field". Forbes. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  12. "Ricketts family is winning Cubs bidder: $900M". tribunedigital-chicagobreakingnews. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  13. Held, Tom (August 5, 2011). "Cubs owner leads charity bike tour from Wrigley Field to Miller Park". jsonline.com. Journal Sentinel Inc. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  14. Foley, T. R. (June 28, 2010). "A Ride With Todd Ricketts". Bicycling.com. Rodale Inc. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  15. Sweet, Lynn (April 16, 2014). "Scott Walker picks up backing from Todd Ricketts at Wilmette barbecue" (May 20, 2015). Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  16. Overby, Peter (September 1, 2015). "A Political Family, Funding And Running On Both Sides Of The Aisle". NPR. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  17. "Ending Spending Action Fund". www.factcheck.org. April 2014. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  18. 1 2 Pearson, Rick (November 18, 2016). "Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts to meet with Donald Trump". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016.
  19. Sweet, Lynn (May 20, 2015). "Scott Walker picks up backing from Todd Ricketts at Wilmette barbecue". chicago.suntimes.com. Chicago Sun-Times. Archived from the original on May 21, 2015. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  20. Bradner, Eric; King, John; Bash, Dana; Zeleny, Jeff (21 September 2015). "Scott Walker drops out of 2016 race". CNN. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  21. 1 2 "After opposing Trump in primaries, Ricketts family donates $1M to support him". WGN-TV. September 20, 2016. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016. Back in February, Trump sent out a tweet that read, 'I hear the Rickets [sic] family, who own the Chicago Cubs, are secretly spending $'s against me. They better be careful, they have a lot to hide!'
  22. Mojica, Nicholas (November 24, 2016). "Trump Cabinet: Todd Ricketts To Be Named Deputy Commerce Secretary? 5 Fast Facts About Chicago Cubs Co-Owner". International Business Times.
  23. Riopell, Mike (2016-05-21). "Republicans call for unity at convention ahead of important November election". Daily Herald. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  24. "Co-owner of Cubs to meet with Trump". Chicago Business. November 18, 2016.
  25. 1 2 3 "Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts' property tax appeal under investigation after Tribune finds assessment problem - Chicago Tribune". Chicago Tribune . 9 July 2019.
  26. "Cubs Co-Owner Todd Ricketts' Property Tax Appeal Under Investigation: Report". 9 July 2019.
  27. "Cubs co-owner Todd Ricketts' property tax assessment appeal on designer Wilmette home sent to state's attorney - Chicago Tribune". Chicago Tribune . 5 September 2019.
  28. "TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. Executive Profile". Wall Street Journal.
  29. 1 2 Rosenthal, Phil (November 3, 2010). "'Undercover Boss' Todd Ricketts cleans toilets at Wrigley Field". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 29, 2016.
  30. "Chicago Cubs Exec Throws a Curve on 'Undercover Boss'". AOL Finance. November 6, 2010. Archived from the original on December 24, 2016. Retrieved November 29, 2016.
  31. "SHARING A PASSION FOR CYCLING". Archived from the original on 29 April 2018. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  32. "Todd Ricketts". Geni.com. Retrieved March 13, 2017.