25th Anniversary
It all started at Union Station in Denver, Colorado on April 1, 1985. 150 square feet of office space for $110 a month – including parking. We opened our doors with a voter file license from Voter Contact Services, a consulting contract with the Colorado Democratic Party, an Apple IIE, and the name “Great Plains Voter Contact.”
The name lasted about a week, when our good friends Bob Hughes and Jody Severson told us we could expand our brand by simply calling the firm Ridder/Braden, Inc. That way they reasoned, we could do whatever we wanted, and not be limited to simply voter contact. Seemed to make sense, and besides the acronym was RBI which was appropriate for our baseball affliction...
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Comments
Lisa Zoeller:
I first met Rick and Joannie in the late 1980's when I was the ED of Colorado NARAL. NARAL wanted to hire some consultants to help with a poll and some voter contact. I was 24 and had no idea what I was doing. But I did know that many of the consultants I interviewed seemed a little too smooth and fancy, and didn't seem passionate about the issue. Then Joannie and Rick walked in. What a breath of fresh air--Rick's quirkiness and competence and Joannie's genuine enthusiasm-- and that was it. I adored them. And I have adored them ever since. Congrats on 25 years!
Shomik Dutta
Rick and Joannie
Congrats on reaching such a significant landmark in your company's history - its a real testament to your intelligence, creativity, and personality. Campaigns are like single baseball games - much dependent on luck and variables our of your control. But you have built several championship seasons. So impressive.
Miss you both, hope we can split a few bottles of wine over a dinner sometime in the near future?
Pat Lombardi
I enjoyed reading the entire story!
Best wishes for continued success!
Don Powell
Dan Shaver
We have worked with Bob for more than 10 years. We could not ask for a better client to partner with.
Ross Bates:
Sorry I can't attend. Cool location, though. I think the first time I worked with RBI was in the Federico Pena campaign of 1987 -- when we were all new to the consulting biz. It's a cliche (at least for people of a certain age and musical taste) to say it's been a long, strange trip, but it's true. Congratulations on 25 years!
John Chase:
OMG...HAS IT REALLY BEEN 25 YEARS? My relationship with RBI started while I was working with NEA doing some work with Bill Comer at the CEA in the late 80,s. Your voter file but more important your political advice was and still is treasured by the CEA and our NEA family. I remember working with RBI on the DEFEAT Vouchers campaign and the Ben Nighthorse Campbell campaigns both for Congress from the 3rd district and the U S Senate race in 92. Ricks advice and council along with the most competent work I had seen while at NEA makes me want to thank all of RBI for the great work they have done many times for Teachers and Public Schools.
Kip Cheroutes:
No one particular story..just that, as time marches on, I appreciate more and more working with people that I just plain like. The gang at RBI are people I like.
Mark Cavanaugh:
Well done RBI and here's to another 25 years!
I've sure enjoyed working with pros like Faye and Tyler, Craig and the rest of your team. You all have a mighty deep bench with a LOT of talent who will ensure many good stories to come. Keep up the good work!
Ben Nighthorse Campbell:
Please convey my "congratulations" on a job well done for so many candidates and so many issues they have worked for. I was one of first.
Much water has flowed under the bridge since the beginning of my love-hate relationship with politics and I have now been reborn (back to my jewelry bench). I 'm enjoying looking back at all those years and with a particular fondness for friends to whom I owe so much.
I know Rick and Joannie have many more success's in their future and I count them as lifelong friends
Charles Holum:
I’ll be gone unfortunately, and the kids are scattered, but Linda hopes to be there to celebrate 25 and to see you all. Sorry I’ll miss it. (And is it really baseball time season?)
Major congratulations to you and Rick, and for all you do.
Andrew Griffith:
Thank you, RBI. Congratulations on 25 years!
Julie Tippens:
Knowing that I was welcome at the Ridder-Braden household when I almost got stuck in Denver in a holiday snowstorm and Rick told me I barely escaped meeting the newest member of the family - the kegerator. And getting stuck in Denver for a night in much better weather and not only being welcome at the house, but Joannie finding me clothes and shoes to go for a morning walk.
Selena Dunham:
Paul Rosenthal:
RBI did a great job on the poll for Pendulum Foundation.
Kelli Fritts:
Greg Whitehair:
No one story fully captures this marvelous group in my mind. The essence of the "brand" is this remarkable set of HUMAN beings, who always find the personal and practical face of each client problem, and never imagine losing, or consider surrendering. To 25 more (though Colorado may have an ocean shoreline by then)!
Ian Esher Silverii:
Sky Gallegos:
I have no stories -- just fond memories of baseball games, dinners with various members of the Ridder/Braden brood and many drinks at Stetson's with Hughes. You are wonderful friends and trusted advisors! I dont know what I would do without you.
xoxoxxo
Sky
Ondine Fortune:
Rick and Joannie are just a great team. In the office and out. And I love having a dance partner at our IAPC events!! Sorry I can't make it but I will be there in spirtit. Here's to another 25!
Rachel Biederman Berry:
Just one story? There are so many! Like the time Rick used the phrase, "separating the stems from the seeds" in a business meeting, and I thought he was talking about WINE. No, really. I was only 22, give me a break. Joannie kindly explained the point of reference. Or, having Rick call me "Chief"...and find out that he called all new staff and interns "Chief" for awhile, until he could remember our names. Or, "Hey, do you want to go run a Congressional campaign? Their headquarters is in Crested Butte."
Looking forward to the party. May the next 25 years be great ones.
Lindy Eichenbaum Lent:
Craig and Rick were the first people I met with when I moved to Denver in 2002. They suggested I consider getting involved with the 2003 mayoral election. And fortunately didn't dissuade me from the longshot with the funny name. Congrats on 25 years!
Sue and Tim Damour:
I love the generosity of spirit you all have in providing
space to Stephen Saunders and Rocky Mountain Climate Organization.
You're all the BEST! Congratulations on 25 great years.
Elisabeth Patterson:
Great working with you to elect Senator Rollie Heath from District 18!
Morgan Young:
The one still to be written.
David Skaggs:
Michael Brewer:
Talking about Australian states politics with Rick at Pete's Kitchen at 7:00am.
Matt Carberry:
Last fall, we did and incredible Virtual Town Hall Meeting for Mary Seawell's successful campaign for Denver School Board. Gov. Romer and his son, Senator Romer helped RBI staff to make a flawless and very effective use of this cutting edge technology. People who listened in told me they thought it was a scripted and taped event, when in fact, it was 100% live and unrehearsed. Bravo!
Victor Bohnert:
Too many to list, somewhere getting the new land rover stuck, Rick throwing a phone at Beach vo Oesen, or Rick making the decision to leave the Dean campaign and playing a certain Johnny Paycheck song incessantly...I probably wouldn't publish these!
Nancy Todd:
We can always count on Rick, after a few drinks of course, to tie together 100 people from 60 different places at our IAPC meetings. We all begin to chuckle when he even reaches for the mic because we know it will be good. And Joanie and I get to pick up each year as if we didn't have 11 and a half months since our last visit. Here's to another 25 years.
Holly Armstrong:
Mary Ellen Johnson:
No favorite stories. Just really nice, not to mention very talented, people!
Mark Grueskin:
It's 1997, and I get a call from Rick, and we have the following conversation:
Rick: "Mark, I've got a client that wants to put an initiative on the ballot. Can you draft it and defend it?"
Me: "Hell, I don't know. I've only been hired to beat initiatives up to now."
Rick: "Well, do you think you could figure it out?"
Me: "I guess so. I mean, how tough could it be?"
Rick: "Right. This one could be a little controversial, though."
Me: "Okay, what is it deal with?"
Rick: "Medical marijuana."
Me: "Are you kidding? That's never gonna catch on."
Rick: "Oh you think not? I guess we'll see...."
Ben Gordon:
Rich Pelletier:
Theo Stein:
No favorite story - just have very fond memories of Rick, tousel-haired and eyes blazing with mischief, as he recounted one war story or made campaign prognositications at board meetings/retreats with my former employer, Resource Media.
Laurie Hirschfeld Zeller:
When Rick called up the Bell Policy Center and left a BLISTERING voice mail for all of us about using David Hill for a TABOR reform ballot measure campaign in 2004. My ears are still ringing.
Edgar Neel:
The first one that pops into my head is from 1992, when Diana had engaged Steve Welchert, Eric Sondermann and Rick as political consultants for her first campaign, all for free. Of course, I was her volunteer campaign manager. We had a lunch meeting somewhere downtown, probably the Paramount or Marlow's. Suddenly, Rick, Steve and Eric all receive phone calls on the plastic bricks that doubled as cell phones back then. I was incredulous, while Rick just said, "this will never happen again."