Great work starts with good people. We are designers, developers, writers, marketers, photographers, problem-solvers, coffee drinkers, food lovers, gamers, gardeners, and people who occasionally have very strong opinions about fonts. Together, we bring years of experience, a lot of curiosity, and plenty of different perspectives to every project. Get to know a little bit about the people who make The Rico Group what it is.
Rico Mandel
Owner & CEO
Rico has more than 30 years of experience as an award-winning photographer, creative director, and marketer. Over the years, he has worked with Fortune 500 companies, small family businesses, manufacturers, and just about everything in between, developing a particular depth of experience working with industrial and manufacturing companies.
What sets Rico apart is his insatiable curiosity about how things work and how things are made. He enjoys getting beyond the surface of a business to understand its processes, products, equipment, challenges, and the expertise behind them. That hands-on curiosity has given him a strong understanding of industrial manufacturing. It helps him identify what makes a company different, then find creative ways to communicate that value so customers notice and understand it.
Rico believes the best marketing starts with understanding the customer, the industry, and the work itself. He brings that mindset to every project, helping business owners turn complex products, technical capabilities, and hard-earned expertise into stories that are clear, compelling, and meaningful to the people they want to reach.
Outside of work, Rico is a dedicated family man, trained chef, photographer, traveler, and lifelong food-and-wine enthusiast. He especially enjoys spending time with his friends and family and finding somewhere new to eat, explore, or photograph. Ideally, all three at once.
Kim McMillan-Ralph
COO, Graphics, Writing, Content Creation, & Production
Kim has nearly 30 years of experience as an award-winning graphic designer, web designer, content writer and creator, and computer repair technician. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management from the University of La Verne, along with certifications in digital multimedia, graphic design, web design, and studio production.
At The Rico Group, Kim wears a lot of hats, sometimes simultaneously. She works across graphics, writing, content, production, technology, and the general business of making sure things actually get done.
When she is away from her computer, she can usually be found in the garden, making custom jewelry, reading, playing video games, getting some exercise, or spending time with her family. She firmly believes there is no such thing as having too many hobbies, only not enough hours in the day.
N. Elaboubi
Lead Programmer & Web Developer
Elaboubi has more than 15 years of experience in web development and web design, bringing a mix of technical knowledge, problem-solving skills, and curiosity to every project. He graduated from University Mohamed V with a bachelor’s degree in economics and has additional certifications in accounting, analyst programming, and web programming.
He enjoys tackling technical challenges, building better ways for websites and systems to work, and keeping up with the constantly changing world of technology. Away from development, he enjoys spending time with his family and writing articles about video games. So, yes, he has managed to turn one of his favorite hobbies into another reason to stare at a screen.
Abigail Jane Villanueva
Operations Manager & e-Commerce Manager
Abigail is the person who helps keep all the moving parts moving in the same direction. She oversees daily operations, review workflows, digital systems, and talent acquisition, with a particular focus on finding the right people for the right roles. She enjoys organizing complicated processes, improving efficiency, and solving the little problems before they become big ones.
Abigail also manages e-commerce for Rico’s culinary adventure, Miz En Place. With more than seven years of e-commerce experience, she knows that a successful online store takes considerably more than simply putting products on a website and hoping someone clicks “Buy.”
Don Laforteza
Lead Video Editor
Don brings about eight years of experience in video production and digital content to the team. After studying at Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan and completing specialized training in video production, he developed a passion for turning ideas into engaging visual stories.
He enjoys capturing cinematic footage, finding the right shot, and turning hours of footage into something people actually want to watch. Basically, he makes the magic happen after someone says, “We should make a video.”
Bos Laforteza
Lead Social Media Manager
Bos turns ideas into social media content that people actually want to stop and read. She specializes in content strategy, brand growth, and audience engagement, combining creativity with a healthy dose of organization and data. She keeps an eye on what is working, what is not, and what might work next. Her goal is simple: help brands show up consistently, connect with the right people, and sound like themselves while doing it.
Esau
Lead Generation Specialist
Esau is always looking for the next good conversation. He specializes in finding new business opportunities and connecting with manufacturers, job shops, and the people behind them. From researching prospects and managing CRM data to coordinating targeted outreach and campaigns, he helps keep the sales pipeline moving. In other words, if there is a potential customer out there who should know about you, Esau is probably trying to find them.
Joel Ysmael
Web Project Manager
Joel brings experience in web design, development, and digital marketing to the team, along with a talent for keeping website projects moving in the right direction. He works closely with designers, developers, writers, and clients to coordinate projects, maintain quality, solve problems, and get websites from idea to launch without unnecessary chaos.
He enjoys learning new technology, figuring out how things work, and finding smarter ways to get the job done. He is also very good at keeping track of all the details that everyone else suddenly remembers five minutes before launch.
