Ricardo A. Solomon
Ricardo A. Solomon has distinguished himself as a trusted expert in multiple fields of endeavor: in business as a founder of multiple companies and business partnerships; in media as a producer and commentator; in public service as an elected official; in non-profit leadership as founder of an international business & cultural exchange organization; and in education as adjunct faculty and lecturer. He has led numerous trade missions and educational tours around the world, including Africa, Middle East, Europe, South America, Asia, Australia, Canada and the Caribbean.
Background
As a business and political strategist, he has advised leaders from the highest levels of government—U.S. senators and congressional representatives, governors, mayors, and local legislators--to those in the C-suites of Fortune 100 & 500 companies, where he has documented success in providing impactful advice and counsel.
As Chairman/CEO of Strategic Partners International, Solomon has led its growth, attracting clients in the automotive, utilities, retail, hospitality, banking, technology, and health care sectors; and in the government, education and non-profit sectors.
Solomon serves as Managing Partner in the largest neighborhood retail development in Detroit in the past 75 years, Gateway Marketplace, which boasts regional and national anchor tenants including Meijer, Marshall’s, Applebee's, Petco, and Chase and PNC Banks.
Solomon has served as an adjunct instructor, teaching courses in government, business and finance at the University of Detroit-Mercy and Wayne County Community College District; and as a guest lecturer at the University of Michigan and Wayne State University.
Solomon was Chairman of the Wayne County Commission, the 7th largest county in the United States at the time. He was elected five consecutive times by his colleagues, making him the longest-serving Chairman in the County's history. He was elected President of the Michigan Association of Counties by county commissioners across the State of Michigan to represent the state's 83 counties and 669 county commissioners statewide; and has served as a Cabinet and Executive Board Member of the National Association of Counties, where he chaired the Community & Economic Development Committee and Intergovernmental Relations Committee, which was the liaison to the U.S. President, Vice President, and Congress.
Solomon holds an Executive Certificate in Effective Decision Making from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University; is certified as an Economic Development Specialist from The Ohio State University; and is certified as an International Trade Specialist from the Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management.
Solomon was chosen as the keynote speaker for Central Michigan University's Commencement, where he received an Honorary Doctorate in Public Service. He holds a Master of Arts in Business Management from Central Michigan University; and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Morehouse College.
His strong record of public service includes Chairman of the Eight Mile-Woodward Improvement Corridor; Executive Board Member & Chair of the Nominating Committee, Detroit Music Hall, and past Chairman of First Independence Bank Community Development Corporation. Among his numerous awards and honors includes the Community Service Award given by Ford Motor Company Employee's African American Ancestry Network (FAAN), and the Spirit of Detroit Award from Detroit City Council. He is a member of Sigma Pi Phi (Boule) and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated.