Rich and J.D.'s home at Black Butte Ranch in the Oregon Cascade Mountains with wild elk,
horses, cattle, wild deer, wild geese, wild turkeys, and other wildlife and vegetation/plant life
(note: no mistreatment or hunting/killing of animals, birds or fish - or logging - on the ranch)
J.D. (left) and Rich (right)
Rich Weissman
Residences:
Palm Springs (Andreas Hills), California
San Francisco (Nob Hill), California
Black Butte Ranch (Cascade Mountains), Oregon
Current:
Rich sold his fintech company in 2014 and left the company in 2015 after transitioning the CEO role. He founded the company based on providing cutting-edge analytic methods utilizing predictive AI (artificial intelligence) to understand economic risk in the financial industry for financial services institutions (banks, credit unions, insurance, and other companies) through algorithms, machine learning, and other analytic/research big data tools. He was also head of the company's think tank, finding novel industry risk and marketing solutions through sophisticated database analytics. Prior, Rich was Executive Director of Marketing at Bank of America, U.S. Bank, and National Westminster Bank USA.
Rich now dedicates his expertise, time, and resources to serving others through his charitable fund and by working in political, cultural, social, and charitable activities, with a focus to promote gay rights and to defend against the rise of anti-Semitism/anti-Israel activities. Rich acts a volunteer consultant to many political candidates, officials, and organizations for strategy, database analytics, fundraising, and outreach, particularly offering his expertise as a data scientist. Rich is also involved in promoting activities and organizations that are concerned about the environment and global warming, and about animal rights and rescue, including endangered species, and about supporting cultural activities..
Rich recently formed a new organization, Ibis Group Institute, a think-tank/center of excellence to help Democratic LGBTQ candidates win elections by embracing a new paradigm for political campaigns that is strategy-focused and data-driven (www.ibisgroupinstitute.com). The Institute provides strategic guidance to candidates to connect them with experts from corporate, academic, and related backgrounds at no cost (all members of the Institute are volunteers). The Institute works as an arm of the Equality PAC and the U.S. Congressional Equality Caucus (the LGBT Congressional caucus in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate). The Institute worked with a handful of vetted candidates running for Congressional office. Rich sits on the Ibis Group Institute Leadership Team.
Additionally, Rich had been working as a volunteer data scientist with The Center For New Data, an organization providing cutting-edge analytics to fight for democracy, including novel measurements to assess voter suppression on regional and national levels.
Rich also currently helps lead the Palm Springs City Council Committee for Economic Development, with the task of creating and implementing the long term economic development plan, with an emphasis on integrating new technologies as growth area for business development, capital investment, employment creation, and education K-12 and college.
Rich is also involved in entertainment, and sings locally. Rich is a sponsor of Cabaret 88 Series, a local city entertainment organization which brings Broadway talent to perform in Palm Springs at the Palm Springs Art Museum.
Rich is a also an analytic writer, and has written and contributed many articles to HuffPost and other publications, on political strategy and other issues. Rich is a member of NLGJA (National Lesbian and Gay Journalist Association) for LGBT journalists.
Rich's husband, J.D. Horn, is the internationally acclaimed and bestseller writer of fiction in Southern gothic and horror/fantasy genres. With eight books published, some of which in eight languages throughout the world, J.D. is a top selling author. He also created his own publishing company, Curious Blue Press, and has published four new works - anthologies of new short stories of witches and ghosts, including "Good Southern Witches" and "December Tales," and horror stories in the "Little Book of Horrors" anthology, originally written in French (translated by J.D.) from the mid 1800's through the 1930's which had not yet been introduced to English-speaking audiences. He brings together well-known contemporary short story writers, many new writers, and writers from previous centuries. J.D. is currently working in a new genre for him - psychological thriller murder mystery, under the name of Jack Douglas Horn (a new persona for J.D. in this new genre). J.D. is represented by agent Darlene Chan of the Linda Chester Literary Agency. Prior to becoming a writer, J.D. worked in International Mergers and Acquisitions, Finance and Accounting at large corporations, including Microsoft, and holds an MBA in International Finance and Accounting from Middlebury's International MBA Program. He also has race bibs from two full marathons and over thirty half marathons, writes music, and plays the flute, piccolo, piano, and guitar. J.D. recently wrote an full-length musical, including the book, lyrics, and music, and is currently working on its production in 2026.
Rich and J.D. are proud parents and recent grandparents, as well as fur parents of their rescue Chihuahua.
Career:
Current:
The Richard Norris Weissman Charitable Fund - Director
Ibis Group Institute - Leadership Team, Founder
Palm Springs City Council Committee on Economic Development - Leader
Recently:
The Center For New Data - Data Scientist
Prior:
DMA - President, CEO and Founder
Prior:
Bank of America/BAC - Senior Vice President, Executive Director of Marketing
U.S. Bank/U.S. Bancorp - Senior Vice President, Executive Director of Marketing
National Westminster Bank USA - Senior Vice President, Executive Director of Marketing
EMA Research - Research Project Manager
Hillside-LIJ Hospital - Graduate Intern in Psychiatric Division
Education:
Educational Focus: Data Science, Quantitative Analytics, Statistics, Behavioral Research in the Social Sciences
Stanford University, California - Marketing Management Program
NYU, New York - Ph.D. Program (ABD), 2 Master's Degrees, Undergraduate Degree (Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Psi Chi)
Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel - First Year Undergraduate Studies in Israeli Social Sciences
Tel Aviv University, Israel - Mechina Preparatory Program in Hebrew and Jewish Studies
Wheatley High School, East Williston Public Schools, Long Island, New York
RW