Financial Services >> CEO Interviews >> March 1, 2005
J. PATRICK MICHALES, JR. ("Rick") is Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer of Communications Equity Associates ("CEA"). Rick's 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 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 Corporate Group, 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. 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. At the University of
Pennsylvania, he received an American Broadcasting Corporation
Fellowship. 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. 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 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), International
Radio and Television Society and 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. He has also served on the Federal
Communication Commission's Local, State and Federal Advisory Committee.
He is active in Republican political circles and currently serves as Co-
Chairman of the Republican National Committee Regents. He is also a
member of the Florida Victory Committee and the Republican Party of
Florida Committee of 100. Rick has been 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. 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. In January 2004, Rick was named to the Board of
Directors of Enterprise Florida, the economic development committee
created by the Florida Legislature. He is 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. Profile
Mr. Michales: I started CEA in 1973 as an investment banking and
corporate finance firm, specializing in media, entertainment,
communications, and related
