Ricardo Trinidad

Author, speaker, and Telcom & Data CEO Ricardo Trinidad has been an entrepreneur as long as he can remember. Raised in a working-class family on Chicago’s South Side, his Puerto Rican father and Texan mother led by example through their daily hard work. Trinidad followed suit, “making” jobs for himself to earn extra money.

After completing high school and a few college courses, Trinidad’s path led to the tele-communications industry. Employed by an Edison, NJ-based telecom and data company, he was asked to open an office in Chicago. After a few years, Trinidad founded Telcom & Data in his Chicago apartment with $3,000 in savings.

His risk and tenacity paid off. The company grew quickly because of his industry knowledge, the relationships he had built in the field, and his collaborative leadership style.

Twenty-Eight years later and now headquartered in Milwaukee; Telcom & Data is one of the nation’s leading providers of traditional telecommunications equipment.

Trinidad is a sought-after speaker and trainer who particularly enjoys mentoring young people.