Menagerie

Ricky B. Novak is the Co-Founder of Menagerie, a luxury wine company created at the intersection of exceptional winemaking, storytelling, and conservation. Founded by Ricky and his wife Lisa, Menagerie brings together a visionary leadership team and an exceptional winemaking bench, led by world-renowned winemakers Philippe Melka and Maayan Koschitzky, alongside Napa Valley icon Rob Mondavi Jr., who spearhead the winemaking from vineyard to bottle.

Driven by a commitment to impact beyond the glass, Ricky and Lisa built Menagerie with a philanthropic mission to support the conservation of critically endangered wildlife in sub-Saharan Africa. The company partners with Tusk Trust (tusk.org) to fund long-term, community-based conservation initiatives. Most recently, Menagerie launched Yarrow x Menagerie, a collaboration with the world's most celebrated, modern-day photographer David Yarrow, pairing iconic wildlife imagery with fine wine to amplify awareness and support for conservation efforts. Learn more at lovemenagerie.com

Beyond Menagerie, Ricky is Co-Founder and Managing Partner of The Strategic Group of Companies, where he works at the intersection of real estate, tax strategy, and private equity. He advises family offices and their trusted advisors on real estate private equity, 1031 exchanges, Delaware Statutory Trusts (DSTs), cost segregation studies, opportunity zone funds, affordable housing developments, and other federal and state tax-advantaged investment strategies. He also serves on the investment committee of his multifamily office, Strategic Investment Holdings.

Ricky’s prior experience includes the international tax practice at Arthur Andersen, the real estate tax practice at Deloitte, and leadership roles with the Atlanta Bar Association, including Chair of its Real Estate Section and past President of the Real Estate Group of Atlanta (REGA). He earned a BA from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a JD from Emory University School of Law.