NADA Board of Directors

Rhett Ricart is CEO and owner of Ricart Automotive Group, in Columbus, Ohio. Ricart Ford was founded in June 1953, by his father, Paul Ricart Sr. It was his father's philosophy that in order to lead, you have to work alongside the employees first so he started out washing cars and worked in every aspect of the business.

In 1982, Rhett and his brother, Fred, assumed ownership of the dealership. Today, they employ more than 500 and annually sell approximately 14,000 new and used vehicles across six new product lines. Ricart was the 2020 chairman of the National Automobile Dealers Association and represents Ohio's franchised new-car dealers on the board of directors. (Term: January 2015-February 2027)

Industry Service

• Board member, Kia National Dealers Council
• Committee member, Ford Motor Company F150 Marketing Committee
• Board member, Ohio Automobile Dealers Association, 1999-2005
• Board member, Columbus Automobile Dealers Association, 2009-2013
• Secretary-Treasurer, Columbus Automobile Dealers Association, 2010-2011
• Vice president, Columbus Automobile Dealers Association, 2011-2012
• President, Columbus Automobile Dealers Association, 2012-2013
• Chairman, Columbus International Auto Show, 2011-2013

Community Service

• Trustee and development chair, Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority, present and served over 14 years to date
• Executive committee member and trustee, Columbus Sports Commission, served over 4 years to date
• Past board member and trustee, Columbus Academy
• Marketing committee member, Columbus Academy, present
• Tocqueville Society Giving member, United Way of Central Ohio
• Committee member, Martin Luther King Matrix Committee
• Ricart Automotive supports various local charities, including the ALS Assn of Central Ohio, Alzheimer's Assn, American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Assn, American Heart Assn, American Lung Assn, Autism Society of Ohio, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio, Children's Hunger Alliance, Crohn's & Colitis Assn of Central Ohio, Faith Mission, Franklin County 4-H Youth, Musicians Against Childhood Cancer, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Prevent Blindness of Ohio, Salvation Army and Women's Small Business Accelerator

Awards

• Ohio Business Person of the Year by The Ohio State University Fisher School of Business, 1993
• Top Places To Work by Columbus CEO Magazine and WBNS 10TV, 2013 & 2014
• Ricart Automotive has received dozens of manufacturer Sales, Service and CSI Awards over the years as well as the Ford President's Award

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Ohio State University, Columbus