Ricardo Piera

Ricardo’s story began in Brooklyn, New York, on 25 Dec 1931, when Emily Nathan, a housewife born in Sofia, Bulgaria, and Salvador Piera-Sendra, a bodega owner born in Pego, Spain, welcomed their second child and first son, Ricardo, known to many as Rick, to the world.

At an early age, like his older sister Rosa and younger brother Raphael, Rick loved to draw and sketch while living above the family store at 300 Rogers Avenue, Brooklyn, NY.

After graduating high school, Rick joined the United States Coast Guard. He was quickly promoted to the rank of Seaman and was very proud of earning the “Royal Order of the Blue Nose,” the honor of crossing the Arctic Circle.

After two years and six months at sea and with a pocket full of stories, Rick separated from the Coast Guard and used his GI Bill to attend Pratt University. Rick used this love for pen and paper to secure a bachelor's degree in Art.

He leveraged his passion and education to have a thirty-year career in Advertising on Madison Avenue in New York as a Creative Director.

While working for advertising agency giants like Saatchi & Saatchi, Rick traveled the world managing global print and video advertising campaigns for brands such as Dunkin Hines, Aire Lingus, Tylenol, and more. However, besides all his awards, Rick was most proud of his creation and development of the slogan, “Enquiring Minds Want to Know,” for The National Enquirer.

Rick fulfilled the American dream and was the epitome of a New Yorker. When he was young, he would spend his days at Shea Stadium cheering on the Mets and regretting ever becoming a New York Jets fan. Very much like Rosa, he was rarely seen without a martini in his hand.

Rick leaves behind his wife of fifty years and “co-pilot” Lisa Buksbaum Piera and their son Jason Piera of Roswell, GA; a son, Andrew Piera, from a previous marriage; his wife Maureen, and their two children, Adam and Lauren, of Fishers, IN.