Founder
In 1975, Joe Ricketts founded First Omaha Securities, a retail securities brokerage firm that was among the first to enter the discount securities marketplace. Through the use of technology and marketing, the Company has grown significantly and evolved into what is today known as TD AMERITRADE Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: AMTD).
Ricketts served as chairman of the Company's board of directors until September 2008. He also held the position of chief executive officer from 1981 through February 2001, except for the period from March 1999 to May 2000, during which he was co-chief executive officer, and the period from May 2000 to August 2000, during which he did not hold the position of chief executive officer.
Among his many accomplishments, Ricketts, in 1988, introduced the first quote and order entry system using a touch-tone phone. In 1994, he established Ceres Securities, Inc., and $18 flat rate trading. In 1995, Ricketts purchased K. Aufhauser & Company, Inc. and its WealthWeb, the first firm to offer online securities trading, receiving the first order in August 1994.
In 1996 Ricketts brought institutional investing software to the retail investor with the introduction of Accutrade for Windows and established eBroker, an online brokerage firm. A year later, he combined Ceres, Aufhauser and eBroker to create Ameritrade, Inc., the broker-dealer that is known today as TD AMERITRADE, Inc.
Prior to 1975, Ricketts was a registered representative with a national brokerage firm, an investment advisor with Ricketts & Co. and a branch manager with The Dun & Bradstreet Corporation, a financial information firm. He is a former director of the Securities Industry Association, now known as the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association, and served as a member of the district committee for District 4 of the NASD from 1996 to 1999.
Ricketts received a bachelor's degree in economics from Creighton University.