Rick Smith

Investor

Rick Smith is a Co-Founder and Managing Director of Crosscut Ventures. He has been involved in private equity for over two decades.  

Crosscut is a venture capital seed fund that is backed by several of the leading entrepreneurs in Southern California, with an investment focus on the Internet, mobile and digital media.  Crosscut portfolio companies include ShoeDazzle, GraphEffect, Docstoc, GumGum, Pulpo Media, Verve Wireless, JustFab, Dermstore, Sensa and MyGlam. Prior to co-founding Crosscut, Rick was a consultant to Creative Artists Agency on venture capital and was a managing director at an early-stage venture capital firm based in Santa Monica, California, with over $500 million under management.

Prior to that, he was a managing director at SunAmerica, Inc., where he participated in the acquisitions of a handful of companies that significantly increased the asset base of the company before it was sold for $19 billion. He also co-founded SunAmerica Ventures, a $750 million fund focused on both direct investments and investments in other venture funds. Prior to SunAmerica, he co-founded a merchant bank that bought several companies, including Steinway Piano Company. 

Rick began his career as a corporate attorney, working five years at the Los Angeles office of Milbank, Tweed, Hadley and McCloy, a New York-based firm.  He graduated from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, with a degree in finance.  He also graduated from Harvard Law School.