On November 30, 2022, four great Washingtonians will receive the region’s signature lifetime achievement award, joining the more than 180 Laureates in the Washington Business Hall of Fame who serve as role models to the next generation of business leaders. Their careers and backgrounds are as broad and diverse as their accomplishments are far-reaching.
The Learn About the Laureate series serves as an opportunity for the Greater Washington business community to get to know the 2022 Washington Business Hall of Fame inductees just a little bit better.
Check out Ray Ritchey’s Q&A with JA below!
Ray Ritchey
Senior Executive Vice President
Boston Properties
JA: Did you have a mentor or a role model over the course of your career?
Ray Ritchey: I was incredibly blessed to have had Jim O’Brien as a life-defining mentor as I started my real estate career. In 1976, Jim was charged with opening the first east coast office in Washington for Coldwell Banker, now CBRE. Jim took a huge gamble by hiring a young Navy Lieutenant with no business experience – me - to be a rookie sales agent.
Shortly after I started, my father died unexpectedly, and I felt compelled to return home to help my family. Jim gave me the best possible advice: that I could better serve my family by staying in DC and being successful in a real estate market with such great opportunities. As it turned out, Jim was absolutely correct, and those words dramatically changed the course of my life. Jim had a similar impact on many of us at CBRE, and we still honor Jim’s memory with reunions of the people he originally hired over 45 years ago!
JA: What is the one aspect of your career that has given you the greatest satisfaction over the years?
Ray Ritchey: One of the most fulfilling aspects of our profession as real estate developers is the ability to not only contribute to the architectural integrity of our cities, but equally important, to shape the social fabric of the communities in which our buildings are constructed. Developing in an urban setting, we must assure that our structures are not only aesthetically compatible with the existing and future built environment, but also meet the social needs of the neighborhood in which they are placed. This is a tremendous responsibility that we assume as developers, and one that we take on with great seriousness. We know the structures we create will impact the lives of thousands of residents for decades to come, and we work tirelessly to ensure that the results are as positive as possible.
“Pursue a career in an area where you are the most passionate, and choose work that you look forward to doing every day.”
JA: What is the one thing that you want the Washington business community to know about your company?
Ray Ritchey: What I would want the Washington business community to know about Boston Properties (BXP) is hopefully what they have already experienced through their interactions with our company: that we focus every day on being the best possible partners to our tenants, our third-party vendors/partners, the community leaders and residents in those markets where we develop, and most importantly, to our teammates. We take great pride in our approach to meet the goals of our organization as a team, and we try to maintain a work environment that is respectful and compassionate, with a genuine concern for the wellbeing of our co-workers. That is perhaps why most of our employees stay at BXP for the duration of their career, with 20, 30, and in my case, 42 years of service! We are literally one big happy family!
JA: If you were to create a slogan or a theme song for your life, what would it be?
Ray Ritchey: If I were to create a theme song for my life, I would start with a verse from the Lee Greenwood song, God Bless the USA, specifically “And I’m proud to be an American”!
There is no doubt that my family and I are incredibly blessed to have been born in this great country, and that any professional success I have enjoyed or personal happiness that I have realized, is due to the tremendous opportunities that I have been afforded as an American citizen. As a young person growing up in a loving family of extremely modest means, I was given the tremendous opportunity to attend the Naval Academy under a full scholarship, and to be the first college graduate in my family. Upon completion of my service, I was able to secure a job in a profession that I loved, with little regard given to my social standing or political viewpoints. While our country then, and especially now, is far from a perfect union, and many social injustices and obstacles still need to be overcome, America still stands as a country where dreams can be realized, and the ideals of equality, opportunity, and fair play remain a primary focus of our society. This is a most appropriate theme when considering the goals and objectives of Junior Achievement!
JA: If you were to choose one person, dead or alive, to have dinner with, who would it be and why?
Ray Ritchey: While there are many tremendously interesting and impactful personalities, both alive and dead, the person I would pick for that one dinner would be my father, Joe Ritchey. My father passed away unexpectedly at a relatively young age, and without me having the opportunity to say my “goodbyes” before he departed. At that dinner, I would first and foremost thank him for providing me with a loving and supportive home, with not only financial stability, but much more importantly, emotional security. I would tell him that the example he set as a father is exactly how I am trying to be a father and grandfather today. I would add that he should be exceptionally proud that all his sons are contributing members of society, with shared commitments to the greater good of our communities, and following the example he set, have enduring relationships with our children, grandchildren, and respective spouses. Finally, I would conclude that any success that I have enjoyed in life was a result of having the great benefit of having him as my father.
JA: You have been known to mentor younger professionals with their career objectives and decisions. What advice would you give to Junior Achievement participants as they start their careers?
Ray Ritchey: First, I would tell the students what I tell every person I mentor, specifically that I will give them the information they need to hear, not necessarily what they want to hear. That said, I would encourage them to network extensively, to meet with a diversity of professionals in various fields of endeavor, and to be open to as many opportunities as possible. Similarly, I would suggest that they take on as much risk as they can tolerate, especially early in their careers, before future financial obligations limit their tolerance for risk. Additionally, I would suggest that they focus on finding a specific job where they can distinguish themselves as the “go to” person, company, or firm in that area, be it through a service or a product. Lastly, I would urge them to pursue a career in an area where they are the most passionate, and choose work that they look forward to doing every day. I have been fortunate to be in that position for the last 45 years!
You’re invited to support Ray Ritchey’s induction into the Washington Business Hall of Fame. All proceeds benefit Junior Achievement of Greater Washington’s work to prepare local students to be ready for the future.