Trent Ricker Addresses Inaugural Nonprofit Cohort of Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program

DALLAS, March 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Trent Ricker, Chief Executive Officer of Pursuant, a full-service comprehensive fundraising and communications firm, was honored to serve as the keynote speaker at Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses commencement ceremony for its first graduating class of nonprofit organizations. Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is a program for small business owners and executives at nonprofit organizations that links learning to action. The program is currently active in 18 sites: Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Houston, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, the national cohort at Babson College, and six capital-only states — Kentucky, Maine, Montana, Oregon/Washington, Tennessee, and Virginia. The program graduated its first class dedicated to nonprofit leaders at the City Colleges of Chicago's Harold Washington College location. Through the program, participants receive the tools and support to develop a customized growth plan that will take their businesses and nonprofit organizations to the next level.

"It's an honor to have addressed the inaugural nonprofit graduating cohort in such a wonderful program that the Goldman Sachs Foundation has so generously underwritten in cities across America. I was thrilled to see this program expanded to include nonprofit leaders whose passion to impact lives drive them into mission-driven organizational leadership. A program like this supports those leaders with the necessary business acumen to strengthen their organization, create jobs and impact more lives. As a fundraising practitioner and business leader myself, I applaud this program that Goldman Sachs Foundation has developed," Ricker explained.

As CEO of Pursuant, Mr. Ricker directs fundraising strategy and communication campaigns for nonprofit organizations of various sizes. Serving hundreds of organizations, Pursuant has earned its place on the Inc. 5000 fastest-growing business list for five consecutive years. As the chief executive of a small business, as well as an innovative fundraising consultant and dynamic speaker, Ricker was an ideal fit to address the graduating class.

"Trent was exactly what we encourage our graduates to be in communicating: effective, efficient and compelling.  He gave the cohort a clear connection between the business skills they have refined in the cohort and the pursuit of their respective missions," said Bral Spight, the Chicago Executive Director. "He also gave a valued perspective as someone who understands the funding hurdles to expanding the mission of nonprofits."

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program runs 18 linked sites throughout the country and is currently accepting applications for the next classes of small business owners and nonprofit leaders for their upcoming cohorts. Participants will gain practical skills in areas such as negotiation, marketing and employee management that they can immediately put into action. The program, with curriculum designed by Babson College, the nation's top-ranked entrepreneurship school, is available at no cost to selected applicants. Applicants are put through a screening and interview process to ensure they are the right fit for the program. If you are interested in learning more about the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program, please visit: http://www.goldmansachs.com/citizenship/10000-small-businesses/US/.

SOURCE Pursuant