Entrepreneur · Philanthropist · Builder

35 years of
building things
that matter

From taking a web firm public at $1.2B to raising $6B for charity, developing a world-ranked hotel in the Laurentians, and reshaping political advertising twice — the through-line has always been the same: find what doesn’t exist yet, then build it with people you’d be proud to work alongside.

$1.2B
IPO valuation
$6B+
Raised for charity
8+
Companies built
35+
Years active
Rich Masterson

Rich Masterson

Entrepreneur · Philanthropist · Builder
Founding principle · Every company, every chapter
To be the kind of company where I would want my friends, family, and children to work. Rich Masterson · Mission statement
Areas Web pioneer Ad Tech Philanthropy Real estate Political media Hospitality Wharton EIR Inc. Entrepreneur of the Year

Career chapters

Selected ventures · 1990 – present
1990s
Technology
US Interactive

The original web firm

Founded one of the first web development agencies before the industry had a name. Took it public on NASDAQ.

$1.2B valuation at IPO
2000s
Philanthropy
Giving Capital

Reimagining charitable giving

Built a donor-advised fund platform that fundamentally changed how high-net-worth individuals give at scale.

$6B+ raised for charity
2000s
Real Estate
Chateau Beauvallon — Development

Estate development in the Laurentians

Designed and built a landmark chateau in Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains, with developments in Florida, Montreal, and Costa Rica.

3 markets · Canada, USA, Costa Rica
2000s – 2010s
HospitalityReal Estate
Chateau Beauvallon — Hotel

The world’s top-rated hotel for quality & value

Owned and operated as a boutique hotel in Quebec’s Laurentian Mountains, earning global recognition for an unmatched guest experience.

#1 Hotel in the World · Quality & Value — Expedia
2010s
Ad Tech
Campaign Grid / Audience Partners

Pioneering political digital advertising

Built the data-driven platform that redefined how campaigns reach voters digitally. Rebranded and sold to Altice USA.

Acquired by Altice USA
2010s
Hospitality
Classic Auto Spa · Stone Harbor Golf Club

Owning the experience layer

Built and operated a premium auto care brand and owned a full golf club operation in Stone Harbor, New Jersey.

Operator · Owner
Present
Ad Tech
Powers Interactive

Back in the political arena

Returned to political digital advertising, applying two decades of data-driven expertise to a new generation of races.

Active · 2026
Present
Consumer
Cocktail Pools

Reimagining the residential pool

Co-founded Cocktail Pools to bring a new category of compact, design-forward pools to the residential market.

Active · Co-founder
“
I am not generous because I am successful. I am successful because I am generous.
Rich Masterson

Honors & recognition

National recognition

Entrepreneur of the Year

Inc. Magazine

Named Entrepreneur of the Year by one of America’s most respected voices on business and innovation.

Regional recognition

Fastest-Growing Company in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Business Journal

Recognized as the fastest-growing company in the Philadelphia region — a testament to the velocity and discipline of early growth.

Academic appointment

First Entrepreneur in Residence

Wharton School · University of Pennsylvania

Appointed as the inaugural Entrepreneur in Residence at Wharton — bridging real-world company building with one of the world’s foremost business schools.

Hospitality

#1 Hotel in the World for Quality & Value

Expedia · Chateau Beauvallon

Chateau Beauvallon was rated the top hotel globally for quality and value — earned through obsessive attention to the guest experience.

Board service

Board member
Philanthropy

National Philanthropic Trust

One of the largest donor-advised fund sponsors in the United States, managing billions in charitable assets.

Board member
Arts & Culture

Philadelphia Orchestra

One of America’s most storied orchestras and a cornerstone of Philadelphia’s cultural identity.

Board member
Financial

Radnor Trust Company

A private trust and wealth management firm serving high-net-worth clients in the Philadelphia region.

Board member
Financial

Emerald Mutual Funds

A registered investment management firm offering institutional and retail mutual fund strategies.

Education

Undergraduate
JMU

James Madison University

Undergraduate education at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia — a foundation in business and broad thinking that shaped an unconventional career.

Executive education
H

Harvard University

Completed executive education at Harvard, deepening strategic and leadership frameworks at one of the world’s most rigorous academic institutions.

Academic appointment
W

Wharton School · UPenn

Named the first-ever Entrepreneur in Residence at the Wharton School — placing real-world entrepreneurship at the center of Wharton’s curriculum.

First appointment of its kind

Currently active

Ventures and focus areas in 2026

Powers Interactive — Political digital advertising
Cocktail Pools — Co-founder, reimagining residential pools
Angel investing — Backing early-stage founders

Open to

How I engage with the world

Advisory roles — Early-stage companies
Speaking — Entrepreneurship, philanthropy, ad tech
Introductions — Always happy to connect great people

Let’s talk.

Investors, founders, journalists, and collaborators — reach out directly.

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