Rick Flatow

Managing Director

Rick is a founding member of Diamond Capital Advisors’ Value Enhancement Group (VEG). He has over 40 years experience as a senior operating executive, consultant and personal advisor to business owners.

Rick’s operating and consulting experience includes consumer products, distribution, manufacturing and personal service companies. His extensive experience as a CEO and consultant ranges from billion dollar multi-national public corporations to middle-market privately held companies. Rick also has experience in all channels of distribution with emphasis in direct sales, franchising, business-to-business, and all classes of retail sales – big box, department stores, and specialty stores. In addition, he has advised early stage Internet and technology companies on startup strategies, fund raising, management process and recruiting. Rick has also created a unique planning process known as “Castle Building” that integrates both the business and personal goals of CEOs and senior executives, company owners and families.

Currently, Rick is President of R W F Enterprises, a management consulting and executive development firm he founded in 1990. His clients have been large and middle-market companies that need help in strategic and tactical planning, as well as establishing professional management processes and discipline. He also acts as interim CEO and President while a company is being formed, restructured or sold. In 1995, he was President of the Applause giftware and licensing company and from 1993 to 1994 he was President & CEO of Futurekids, Inc., the world’s largest franchisor of learning centers that teach computer literacy to children.

From 1986 to 1990, Rick was Chairman, President and CEO of Avalon Marketing, Inc., a diversified consumer products and distribution company. Avalon had a giftware and licensing division, a sunglass and fashion accessory division, and a general merchandise division that serviced the supermarket industry. Rick grew Avalon from a $90 million to $300 million company in four years, through organic growth, acquisitions and by raising $200 million of private and public capital.

Prior to joining Avalon Marketing, he spent 16 years with Avon Products, Inc. He was responsible for sales, marketing, new product development, licensing, distribution, strategic planning, and advertising for Avon’s North American and Asian businesses (annual revenues $1 billion).

Rick has been a board member of seventeen public and private corporations and has advised several companies on successful mergers and sales. He has also been a speaker at UCLA’s Anderson School of Management and at Pepperdine University. In addition, Rick was a Family Facilitator at Harvard Business School’s executive education program, Families in Business: From Generation to Generation, which examines pivotal issues facing family businesses. He has been a member of the Direct Selling Association and was a founding member of the Tech Coast Angels of Los Angeles. Rick received his BA in Economics from Lafayette College. He is an avid mountain biker and enjoys photography and Tai Chi.