RICHARD RAGATZ, Ph.D.
Managing Director, Development Group
Project Feasibility Analysis  Consumer / Product Research Economic Impact Analysis  Project Evaluation

Dick Ragatz is President of Ragatz Associates. Dr. Ragatz has achieved international recognition as the leading feasibility analyst and market researcher in the resort real estate industry. He has been involved in more than 2,500 studies in virtually every state and over 70 countries. Clients include most major developers and lenders in the resort industry. Areas of specialty include feasibility analysis, consumer and product research, economic impact analysis and project evaluation.

Dr. Ragatz has been very active in the primary trade association representing the resort industry – the American Resort Development Association. He joined ARDA in 1969, the year it was formed. In 1987, 1989, 1995 and 2006, he was given special awards by ARDA for outstanding contributions to the resort industry. The 1995 award was Industry Leader of the Year. The 2006 award was the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award.

He also has been active in the Urban Land Institute, having cooperated with that group on a major national study in 1974 on the resort real estate industry, and a member since 1972.

Since 1969, Dick Ragatz has published more than 50 articles on resort development for academic journals and trade magazines. He also has delivered more than 350 speeches on resort development at conferences held throughout the world. His academic background includes a Bachelor’s degree (1961) and a Master’s degree (1963) from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Ph.D. degree in City and Regional Planning (1969) from Cornell University.