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J. Joe Ricketts founded the brokerage Ameritrade

A pioneer in the use of technology to revolutionize the financial services sector, J. Joe Ricketts founded the brokerage Ameritrade, a securities industry leader that empowered self-directed investors with innovative investment tools and training.

After graduating from Creighton University in 1968 with an economics degree, Mr. Ricketts began his professional career first as a branch manager at Dun & Bradstreet, then as a registered representative with Dean Witter. In 1975, he co-founded First Omaha Securities, a retail securities brokerage firm in Omaha, Nebraska.

The Charles Schwab Corporation acquired TD Ameritrade for approximately $26 billion

Mr. Ricketts recognized that featuring negotiated commissions would allow the firm to take advantage of the newly deregulated discount securities market. Under Mr. Ricketts’ leadership, First Omaha Securities grew quickly and, through the use of innovative technology and marketing, evolved into Ameritrade, which managed hundreds of billions of dollars in client assets. In 2020, The Charles Schwab Corporation acquired TD Ameritrade for approximately $26 billion, combining the firms into one of the largest global financial powerhouses with approximately $6 trillion in client assets.

Joe Ricketts Supports First Responders, Education, Conservation, Art & More

The Foundation thanks Mr. Ricketts for supporting first responders and their families and the Foundation. On September 25, 2021, Mr. Joe Ricketts/Straight Arrow News hosted Omaha’s Rally for the Responders. This day was dedicated to those who put our city first during a time like no other. It was a day to celebrate first responders, firefighters, police officers, EMTs, nurses, and doctors who showed us what courage and duty are all about during the COVID pandemic.

The Rally was the ultimate thank-you party for First Responders

They cared for the citizens of our community, protected us, and kept our city going. The Rally was filled with live music, food, exotic horses, first responder vehicles, carnival games, and fireworks. The Foundation had a booth where people wrote notes of thanks to first responders and children drew pictures of appreciation. It was held at TD Ameritrade Park and it was 100% free. It was an extraordinary and extravagant, one-of-a-kind day and event. To say the least first responders and their families felt the appreciation.

Mr. Ricketts/Straight Arrow News made a difference in the lives of first responders and their families. Making a difference is not something unusual when it comes to Joe Ricketts. Since 2008, Mr. Ricketts has devoted himself to a variety of entrepreneurial and philanthropic ventures, including: 

Opportunity Education Foundation

Opportunity Education Foundation is a charitable foundation with the mission of developing and supporting life-changing learning programs for young adults worldwide.

This provides young people worldwide with educational resources to succeed in life, today and tomorrow. Today’s world is dynamic, connected, and changing, raising new questions all the time. For students to succeed, they need more than fixed answers — they need the ability to keep growing and adapting to the world they find. Quest Forward Learning, the curriculum of Opportunity Education, activates lifelong curiosity in each student, cultivating the mindset, essential habits, and skills to succeed in life and work. Success isn’t about answering old questions. It’s about seeing opportunities to create value and having the skills to do so — for yourself, for your community, and for the world.

Quest Forward Academies

Quest Forward Academies are high schools designed around active, student-centered learning using projects, reflection, and rich feedback to help students learn and grow. There is a Quest Forward Academy in Omaha.

The Cloisters on the Platte Foundation

The Cloisters on the Platte Foundation established in 2017 offers 3-day silent retreats to men and women of all faiths. 

More than twenty years ago, Joe Ricketts attended a Jesuit retreat in Minnesota that changed his life. In the midst of a demanding career, his first silent weekend of reflection and study revealed what mattered most to him: family, morality, and honesty. Attending a yearly Jesuit retreat has been a staple of his spiritual life ever since.

Mr. Ricketts had long dreamed of making the Jesuit retreat experience available to more people. The Cloisters on the Platte is the realization of that dream. Mr. Ricketts personally funded the Foundation’s construction of the retreat property. Ongoing operations are funded through a combination of donations by retreatants (free will offerings), donations by people visiting the Stations of the Cross, and product sales. The Cloisters on the Platte Foundation is managed by a Board of Directors.

The Cloisters on the Platte Retreat Center retreats are based on the teachings of St. Ignatius of Loyola, who lived from 1491 to 1556. During his lifetime, St. Ignatius composed a brief set of meditations, prayers, and mental exercises to be used by men and women seeking to discern God’s will in their lives. Every year, The Cloisters brings the power of quiet reflection to people seeking spiritual renewal. 

Stations of the Cross

The Stations of the Cross located at the Retreat Center are accessible without attending a retreat. Walk the length of the Stations of the Cross and you will have covered the 2,500 steps Jesus Christ took from Jerusalem to his crucifixion. Life-size bronze statues tell the story of Jesus’ path to his death. Each stop along the path includes an audio description of the events leading from his sentence of death by Pontius Pilate to his entombment.

The bronze statues stand about seven feet tall and were created by 10 artists from around the United States. The Stations of the Cross are the only area of the retreat open to the public. As you walk along the route, you’ll notice the beauty of the area, with treelined rolling hills. 

Ricketts Conservation Foundation

The Ricketts Conservation Foundation was founded by Joe Ricketts to support the conservation of wildlife and wilderness areas, promoting the importance of environmental stewardship as an enduring value. Central to Mr. Ricketts’ belief is the idea that conservation is everyone’s responsibility. In a world facing increasingly complex environmental challenges, private sector resources play an ever-greater role in the conservation of wildlife and wilderness areas. By answering this need, and encouraging others to do the same, the Ricketts Conservation Foundation aims to make a difference in the quality of life enjoyed by future generations.

Ricketts Art Foundation

The Ricketts Art Foundation was founded to enrich people’s lives by providing innovative access to the works of important visual, performing, and literary artists, both current and past. As its first project, The Foundation partnered with The Buffalo Bill Center of the West and the Museum of Mountain to create The Alfred Jacob Miller Online Catalogue.

Straight Arrow News

In June of 2021, Mr. Ricketts launched Straight Arrow News. Straight Arrow News is committed to fair, factual, unbiased journalism and political commentary that encourages viewers to make up their own minds. By approaching every issue from an objective, middle ground and highlighting underreported stories, the aim is to empower people with context and facts. 

Mr. Ricketts owns:

Village Pie Maker

The Village Pie Maker pies are handcrafted in small batches with care and attention to every detail using premium quality fruit with fillings made from scratch—never from a can. The buttery, flaky crust is gently rolled and then crimped by hand. The delicious “take and bake” frozen fruit pies can be found nationwide in many local grocery stores and markets.

High Plains Bison

From mouth-watering bison burgers and sausages to tender, hand-cut bison steaks, High Plains Bison offers a wide variety of premium bison products that are easy to prepare and great for grilling. 

Mr. Ricketts is also the author of the book

The Harder You Work, the Luckier You Get An Entrepreneur’s Memoir (2019).

Simon and Shuster shares,

“Joe Ricketts always had the gift of seeing what others missed. The son of a house builder, he started life as a part-time janitor, but by the age of thirty-three, he saw the chance to challenge the big brokerage firms by offering Americans an inexpensive way to take control of their own stock trading. Nowadays, we take for granted that Main Street is playing right there on Wall Street, but Ricketts made that happen. His company, begun with $12,500 borrowed from friends and family, took off like a rocket thanks to an early embrace of digital technology and irreverent marketing. But Ameritrade also faced a series of near-disasters: the SEC almost shut him down; his partners tried to force him out because of his relentless risk-taking; penny brokers swindled the company; the crash of 1989 nearly cost him everything; and he was almost shut down again when a customer committed massive fraud. By the time of the dot-com bust, he had proven that his strategy based on frontier values could survive just about anything.”

A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Mr. Ricketts and his wife of more than 60 years have four children and fourteen grandchildren.

Omaha’s Rally for the Responders

The Foundation again thanks Mr. Ricketts for his support of the Foundation and first responders and for hosting Omaha’s Rally for the Responders. It was the ultimate thank-you party for First Responders.

We sincerely thank him for all he has done and continues to do to make a difference for people in our local community and throughout the world.

For more information on the Ancient Order of the National Society of St. Florian and St. Michael click here.

More information on the Annual 9/11 Luncheon of Honor click here.

For more pictures from Omaha’s Rally for the Responders visit our Facebook page here.

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Jim Cahill has served in the armed forces and as a first responder and now spends much of his time honoring and respecting those groups and their families both on and off the job. The First Responders Foundation is proud to partner with Jim to fulfill the mission of the Foundation to serve and honor all our First Responders, Veterans and their families, build appreciation and respect for their work, and enhance public safety.

Jim served in the Air Force, as a Bellevue Police Office and is now Corporate Security Manager for NFM

Jim Cahill was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1980 he enlisted in the United States Air Force where he served during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Returning stateside Jim was stationed at Offutt Air Force Base.  After leaving the Air Force he joined the Bellevue, NE Police Department and served from 1994 – 1999.  Jim then began a career with Nebraska Furniture Mart where he is now NFM’s Corporate Security Manager overseeing security and loss prevention operations in all of their states.

Jim is the volunteer leader of the First Responders Foundation Race Team.

While not on the job Jim is the volunteer leader of the First Responders Foundation Race Team. This unique race team consists of four dirt track stock cars (two owned by Jim) that are all driven by first responders from Nebraska and Iowa. Jim puts in countless hours each year maintaining the fleet and spending time at the track supporting the Foundations mission to honor and respect first responders and veterans throughout the season. A very special detail is that each race car has a large First Responders Foundation logo on the hood and #SupportRed and #SupportBlue along with photos of local fallen first responders and veterans covering the cars.

The Reverse Tribute Lap Honors Veterans and First Responders Who Gave The Ultimate Sacrifice. This Year Honoring Cpl Daegan Page.

For the past 4 years, Jim has organized the First Responders and Military Appreciation Night at I-80 Speedway. The night starts with a reverse tribute lap honoring fallen first responders and veterans. Military vehicles and emergency vehicles representing departments from across the state circle the track backward to honor those first responders and veterans who have given the ultimate sacrifice. This year Jim invited Cpl Daegan Page’s family to participate in the event. Cpl Page gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the Marines on August 26th, in Afghanistan, at the Abbey Gate along with 12 others. His family participated by riding on the back of the race cars holding American Flags and flags with Deagan’s picture. 

The First Responders and Military Appreciation Night at I-80 Speedway also includes a Guns & Hoses Competition.

On the same night during intermission, the race team hosts a friendly Guns & Hoses competition where police officers and firefighters compete on the track to see who is the best race car driver and who will take home the gold – the Red or the Blue Team. There is also a 50/50 raffle, organized by Jim’s wife Beth, to raise money for the First Responders Foundation Behavioral Health Services. This family night and friendly competition has garnered national attention. 

Jim was the First Responders Foundation Volunteer of the Year 2021.

For all Jim has done for the foundation, last year he was honored as the 2021 First Responders Foundation Volunteer of the Year. This year we are again proud to honor Jim and thank him for the continuous ways he supports first responders, veterans and the Foundation by inducting him into the Ancient Order of the National Society of St. Florian and St. Michael.

Join us at the 6th Annual First Responders Foundation 9/11 Luncheon of Honor.

Tickets and Sponsorships are available for the luncheon. Join us as we celebrate and honor Jim Cahill, remember veterans and first responders and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice on 9//11/2001.

Click here for tickets/sponsorships and more information.

For more about the First Responders Foundation Race Team click here to visit the Facebook Page.

To learn more about the National Society of St. Florian and St. Michael and the Ancient Order click here.

To learn more about Cpl. Daegan Page click here for his Facebook Page.

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Omaha Police Department

The First Responders Foundation was honored to induct the Omaha Police Department into the Ancient Order of the National Society of St. Florian and St. Michael at the Omaha Rally for the Responders. St. Michael is the recognized patron saint of police officers.

The Ancient Order is the most prestigious of the society. We are proud to induct the Omaha Police Department as the members of the department starting with Chief Todd Schmaderer to road patrol officers demonstrate outstanding degrees of professional competence and leadership, integrity, bravery, honor, and moral character, serving selflessly and contributing to the promotion of public safety and the betterment of the Omaha community. The department always exhibits these attributes but we commend them especially for all that has gone on over the last two years. The Omaha Police Department is there for all of us to serve and protect, often being a counselor, a mediator, medical provider, and/or a mentor. They respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week regardless of the reason, many times not knowing what they will find, and never able to unsee what they found. On our worst days, in an unfortunate situation, or when disaster strikes, OPD is there for us.

Deputy Chief Michelle Bang accepted the honor on behalf of the Omaha Police Department from Foundation President, Todd Sears. The First Responders Foundation extends our deepest appreciation to the department for all that OPD does for all of us.

Omaha Fire Department

The First Responders Foundation was honored to induct the Omaha Fire Department, into the Ancient Order of the National Society of St. Florian and St. Michael at the Omaha Rally for the Responders. St. Michael is the recognized patron saint of police officers.

The Ancient Order is the most prestigious of the society. We are proud to induct the entire Omaha Fire Department as the members of the department starting with Chief Dan Olsen and continuing to all firefighters demonstrate outstanding degrees of professional competence and leadership, integrity, bravery, honor, and moral character, serving selflessly and contributing to the promotion of public safety and the betterment of the Omaha community

When a fire breaks out or there is an explosion most people run in the opposite direction, but the members of the Omaha Fire Department run toward the danger. We are grateful for these men and women who have answered this call because they put our lives and the lives of those we love ahead of their own.

Chief Dan Olsen & Battalion Chief Charlie Oborny accepted the honor on behalf of the Omaha Fire Department from Foundation President, Todd Sears.  The First Responders Foundation extends our deepest appreciation for the courage, sacrifice, and commitment given to all the citizens of the Omaha community by the Omaha Fire Department.

For a list of others who have received this prestigious award click here.

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The Ancient Order of Saint Florian and Saint Michael is a society made up of members of the community who have provided long-term and exceptional service to first responders and their families through their enduring and exceptional acts of financial giving or acts of selfless volunteerism, and those who have made a great impact in the community.

Honoring the Omaha Police Officers Association

The members of the Omaha Police Officers Association serve the Omaha community and metro area tirelessly, committing to make our society as safe as possible with the highest integrity. These police officers are there for all of us to serve and protect, many times being a counselor, a mediator, medical provider, and/or a mentor. They respond 24 hours a day, 7 days a week regardless of the reason, many times not knowing what they will find, and never able to unsee what they found. On our worst days, in an unfortunate situation, or when disaster strikes, the members of OPOA are there for us.

These brave men and women do all of this by choice.

Often they leave their family to protect our family. Over the last 20 months especially, their dedication has shown through as they have continued to serve while some of them were near death from COVID19, faced riots, disrespect, and hostility. Through it all, they still make the choice to be there for all citizens in our community. The Omaha Police Department answers an average of 250,000 emergency 911 calls each year. They arrive at the most pressing call in 5 minutes and 32 seconds, on average.

Omaha Police Officers are Heroes.

It is with respect and appreciation that we honor these heroes, the Omaha Police Officers Association Members. We are grateful for their service and they are highly appreciated. OPOA is a group of sworn members of the Omaha Police Department up to the rank of Captain. They are an FOP Lodge and a recognized collective bargaining group with the City of Omaha. They profess that “they love Omaha”. Their members are active in the community and they embody the community policing model.

The OPOA lives by the words: Honor. Dedication. Pride. Commitment. We thank them and honor them for making those words a reality in our community.

To purchase tickets or for more information about the 9/11 Luncheon of Honor click here. 

For more information on the Omaha, Police Officers Association click here.

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The Ancient Order of Saint Florian and Saint Michael is a society made up of members of the community who have provided long-term and exceptional service to first responders and their families, through their enduring and exceptional acts of financial giving or acts of selfless volunteerism, and those who have made a great impact in the community.

Honoring Omaha Professional Fire Fighters Association, IAFF 385

The members of the Omaha Professional Fire Fighters Association, IAFF 385 serve the Omaha community and metro area tirelessly, committing to make our society as safe as possible with the highest integrity. These firefighters are there for all of us 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

It takes a special person to become a firefighter.

When a fire breaks out or there is an explosion most people run in the opposite direction, but firefighters run toward the danger/disaster. Firefighters not only put out fires with hoses on the ground, but they also run through burning buildings, break out windows, cut people out of cars, and deal with oil spills and other hazardous material spills after accidents. All Omaha Firefighters are also Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and can take care of sick and injured people at the scene. They see and experience things that affect them both physically and mentally. Firefighters are courageous individuals who know things can and sometimes do go wrong but they still show up to work every day.

After the fire has been put out, the cause of the fire must be determined, whether it was an accident or arson. Firefighters must decipher what type of fire they are dealing with and each requires a different approach. Some fires are electrical or chemical, some include gases, oils, metals, or other liquids. They need to use their scientific knowledge of physics, engineering, and chemistry to determine how, when, and where the fire started. Some Omaha Fire Department firefighters are also law enforcement officers and can make an arrest when arson is determined to be the cause of a fire. 

The IAFF 385 assists with the Tri-County Fire Corp.

This program is for students, ages 16-19 who are interested in careers in fire services. They are given the opportunity to participate in hands-on activities, and training in fire extinguishers, ropes and knots, hose rolls, search and rescue, ladders, hazmat awareness, and ventilation. They receive training and two certificates of completion, for CPR and for Stop the Bleed. On the last day of class, they actually put out a real car fire. 

Omaha Firefighters are heroes.

We are grateful for these men and women who have answered this calling because they put our lives and the lives of those we love ahead of their own. They don’t get holidays off, they work long shifts to take care of our families often while leaving their own. Never a 9 to 5 and always on call, they live with the understanding that they will miss out on family moments and milestones to perform their duty. Being a firefighter isn’t about the glory or the money, it’s about how many lives you can change. For their courage and commitment, their service, and the sacrifices they make, they are heroes. 

First Responders Foundation in Omaha and Council Bluffs

The First Responders Foundation thanks the Omaha Firefighters of the IAFF 385 for the job they do every day, taking risks to protect the citizens of the community. The Foundation would also like to thank their families who also face the possibility of the loss of a loved one.

For all of the reasons listed above the Omaha Professional Fire Fighters Association, IAFF 385 will be inducted into the Ancient Society of St. Florian and St. Michael

To purchase tickets or for more information about the 9/11 Luncheon of Honor click here.

For more information on the  Omaha Professional Fire Fighters Association, IAFF 385 click here. 

For more information on the Tri-County Fire Corp click here.

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The Ancient Order of Saint Florian and Saint Michael is a society made up of members of the community who have provided long-term and exceptional service to first responders, veterans, and their families through their enduring and exceptional acts of financial giving or acts of selfless volunteerism. The Bremer’s have been extremely supportive of the Foundation for many years. Debbie serves on the Board of Directors and is currently Vice Chairman of the Board.

Giving Back to the Community is Important to the Bremer’s

Debbie and Jeff Bremer have been married 32 years. They met in the restaurant business where they both worked in their early careers. Working for Simmonds Restaurant Management gave them an early on perspective about the industry and what it meant to be a local business and the importance of giving back to your community.

After moving around and working for larger restaurants Jeff and Debbie finally made their way back to Omaha where Debbie’s family roots are and where they wanted to raise their family.

Debbie and Jeff love being part of the Omaha community where they own 10 Taco John’s Restaurants (BRM), two in Omaha, one each in Columbus and Fremont, and two in Council Bluffs IA. They also own PIP Marketing, Signs & Print, and YESCO Sign and Lighting Company.

PIP Marketing, Signs, and Print is the Foundation’s printer of choice.

The Bremer’s have donated countless printing projects to the Foundation including all the materials and signage for the Annual 9/11 Luncheon of Honor, and the Annual Appreciation Lunches. As if that was not enough the Bremer’s have been collecting financial donations at each of their Taco John’s locations for years. Each restaurant has a collection box where people can donate loose change or more to the First Responders Foundation. It is a great way to raise money and increase awareness of the Foundation and it is a tangible way for people to honor local first responders. Over the years Taco John’s and customers have donated close to $30,000 to the Foundation.

Being generous is nothing new for the Bremer’s. They have quietly helped numerous employees who have run into tough times. For example, in 2020, Jeff gave a Taco John’s employee of 10 years a car when hers was totaled by an uninsured driver. April Mungia called Jeff, “her angel”. “Gracias desde el fondo de mi corazón, gracias,” she said with joyful tears running down her face. “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

The Bremers tell us that giving back to the community is important to them and along with the First Responders Foundation other foundations/organization near and dear to them include, The Christopher Bremer Memorial Foundation, The YMCA, and Roncalli Catholic High School. 

First Responders Foundation

Along with her board responsibilities for The First Responders Foundation, Debbie has served on the Omaha Executive Club, Omaha Executive Association, The Set Me Free Project Board, and The Christopher Bremer Memorial Foundation. Jeff serves on the Taco Johns Advisory Board as well as the ad production committee.

All of us at the First Responders Foundation would like to thank the Bremer’s from the bottom of our hearts as well.

Debbie and Jeff reside in Omaha. Their children are Jeff Jr, Christopher, and Alysha and they have 4 grandchildren. They both enjoy traveling, golf and family.

For more information or to purchases tickets/tables at the luncheon click here.

For more information on Bremer’s businesses:

PIP Marketing, Signs, and Print
YESCO Sign and Lighting Company
Taco John’s

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