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Richard  Ryffel

Richard Ryffel

Professor of Practice
Executive Director of Business Leadership

Education

MBA, Finance Questrom School of Business, Boston University
BS, Mechanical Engineering, Tufts University

Richard Ryffel is the Executive Director of Business Leadership and a Professor of Practice in the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business at Purdue University.  He is responsible for leading the Professor of Practice faculty and for outreach to the practice community across multiple functions at Daniels.  Prior to joining Daniels, he was a Professor of Finance Practice at Washington University in St. Louis, as well as an adjunct instructor at several universities in the U.S. and Europe.

Professor Ryffel’s professional experience over 35 years was concentrated in public and corporate finance and wealth management.  While in industry, Mr. Ryffel advised colleges and universities, hospitals, cities, states, airports, school districts, and corporations on financings and capital structure, and led hundreds of financings in both the taxable and tax-exempt markets.  As a private wealth and endowment manager, he advised high net worth families and endowed institutions on investment management and financial planning.

He previously worked at A.G. Edwards (now Wells Fargo Advisors), Bank of America, Edward Jones and J.P. Morgan.  He has a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Tufts University and an M.B.A. in Finance from Boston University.

He is the founder of the Daniels / Brookings / UChicago / Brandeis Municipal Finance Research Conference and the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis Wealth and Asset Management Research Conference.

Through his work on several not-for-profit boards over the last 20 years, he has been involved in urban education, low income housing and economic development primarily in St. Louis, Missouri.

Harvard Business Case

  • Lauren Cohen, Richard Ryffel, Grace Headinger, Ruoshi Qi (2023). "Block: Creating an Ecosystem of Ecosystems." Harvard Business Publishing 16. | Related Website |
  • Lauren Cohen, Richard Ryffel, Grace Headinger (2022). "From GOP to NFT: Anthony Scaramucci and the Launch of Flatter NFT." Harvard Business Publishing 17. | Related Website |
  • Peter Boumgarden, Ryan W. Buell, Lamar Pierce, Richard Ryffel (2020). "Union Square Hospitality Group: Hospitality Included." Harvard Business Publishing 21. | Related Website |

Book Chapters

  • Martin J. Luby, Peter Orr, Richard Ryffel (2021). "Direct Versus Indirect Federal Bond Subsidies: New Evidence on Cost of Capital." Public Budgeting & Finance vol. 41 (1), 76-120. | Related Website |
  • From Data to Decisions thumbnail

    Purdue Finance Expert Weighs in on Best Online Banks

    The Daniels School’s Executive Director of Business Leadership Rich Ryffel contributed to MarketWatch’s resource guide.

    Full story: Purdue Finance Expert Weighs in on Best Online Banks

  • Brookings Institute in Washington, D.C.
    Municipal Finance Conference Draws Bipartisan Interest
    Academic, government and industry leaders gather to discuss infrastructure, ESG and more.
  • Purdue Daniels Financial Markets
    Creating a Common Lexicon that Benefits the Taxpayer
    The Municipal Finance Conference, July 17-18 in D.C., has become the premiere venue for convening scientists and industry experts to debate research, provide insights and encourage adoption of data-based best practices in the realm of municipal finance and economic and fiscal issues affecting state and local governments.
  • Best Bank Accounts for Small Businesses
    Richard Ryffel, Executive Director of Business Leadership & Professor of Practice at Purdue University's Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business, offers his expert opinion on the best bank accounts for small businesses.
  • Daniels School’s new leadership team in place
    Since being unveiled as Purdue University’s next big move one year ago, the Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business is gaining momentum, evidenced by a $50 million gift from the Lilly Endowment for the school’s new building, a $50 million gift from the Dean and Barbara White Foundation, and recognition as a game-changer in shaping the future of business education.
  • Daniels School to co-sponsor Washington conference on municipal finance
    Reinforcing its status as a thought leader in the business world, Purdue University’s Mitchell E. Daniels, Jr. School of Business is combining with three other groups to hold a two-day conference covering research on municipal finance and economic and fiscal issues affecting state and local governments.
  • Richard Ryffel Headshot
    Ryffel hired to lead Professor of Practice program
    The Daniels School is in the process of identifying exceptional business leaders who can bring their own experiences to students through advising, guest lecturing, mentoring, and sponsoring students’ consulting projects. The school has hired Richard Ryffel as Executive Director of Business Leadership to oversee these activities through a new Office of Business Partnerships.
  • An image of a podcast set up with microphones, a headset, and a mixer
    Why ESOPs Are a Great Sale Alternative to a Traditional Third-Party Sale
    In this podcast with Professor of Finance Practice Richard Ryffel, Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis, ButcherJoseph & Co. Managing Director Albert del Pilar talks about employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), and how they can be great sale alternative for business owners versus a traditional third-party sale to a strategic or financial buyer. He discusses many of the unique characteristics of an ESOP transaction, such as how the transaction is structured, characteristics that make companies good ESOP candidates, potential tax benefits for the selling shareholders and the company, the benefits and value they create for employees, and many other distinct benefits.
  • Headshot of Richard Ryffel
    Does Running a Successful Family Business Ensure Your Family’s Financial Legacy? With Richard Ryffel
    Do you know how family businesses can thrive across generations? Join us in our episode with Richard Ryffel, professor of finance practice at Washington University in St. Louis. With 35 years of experience in financial services on Wall Street and regional firms and an MBA in finance, Richard has seen it all. He is currently teaching several finance courses as part of the Koch Center for Family Enterprise to help families better understand how to manage their businesses. Richard discusses the importance of diversification in family-owned businesses, how liquidity events should be handled, and the value of having a trusted advisor. He also explores the idea that wealth should be concentrated and diversified to stay wealthy, different generations' attitudes towards risk-taking, and the potential for failure as a learning experience.
  • Image of diversified stock
    Research: Diversification, legacy issue top family business concerns
    You get rich through concentration. You stay rich through diversification. This is an old wealth management adage, but it has never been truer. We live in an ever-globalizing, highly competitive economy given to shocks from financial crises, wars, pandemics, governmental policy intervention, restrictive monetary policy, labor shortages and supply chain constraints. In this environment, how could any business leader be confident that past performance will predict future success? While it is not a given, the future success of family businesses is largely dependent upon keeping an open mind, establishing a clear vision, exploring new avenues for growth and having the right advisors in your corner.
  • Image of Houston, Texas
    Texas ranks among best states to start a business
    For years, Texas has been lauded for its business climate being welcoming for new businesses and startups. This year’s study shows that the Lone Star State has yet again made the list. Texas ranked as the third best state to start a business in personal finance website WalletHub’s recent list, 2023’s Best & Worst States to Start a Business, with a score of 56.85 points. Texas ranked behind Utah, No. 1, and Florida, No. 2, and just ahead of Colorado. Idaho, Georgia, Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma, and California make up the rest of the top 10, respectively.

Contact

rryffel@purdue.edu
Phone: (314) 614-3232
Office: KRAN 335