Belmont University
Demonstrators sitting at the McLellan’s lunch counter, 1960. Photograph courtesy of the Nashville Public Library.

Rick Rekedal

Peace Summit: A Reflection on the Past, A Call to Action

Rick Rekedal

Rick Rekedal

Chief Creative Officer, Executive Director of the Creative Arts Collective for Christian Life & Faith, Belmont University 

Rick Rekedal is an award-winning, master storyteller bringing truth, light, and lessons through the power of story, arts, and artistic expression throughout his three-decade career. Rick’s expertise is centered in a heart for reaching families right where they are, including more than 20 years with DreamWorks Studios, where his roles included Chief Creative, Global Franchises; Global Head of Interactive and Online and Head of Consumer Products, Licensing & Retail. Major properties include The Prince of Egypt, Spirit, Shrek, Kung Fu Panda, How To Train Your Dragon, Trolls, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Men in Black, Small Soldiers, and Saving Private Ryan. Also, Rick was a key part of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Rick's work has been recognized with two Annie Awards for Best Animated Videogame, two Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards for Videogame of the Year, Family Board Game of the Year, and Action Figure of the Year. Rick has developed IP with Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Entertainment; an animated preschool series for YouTube; and original book titles with VeggieTales co-creator Mike Nawrocki.

As President and interim CEO of David C Cook & Integrity Music, Rick led the company to three USA Today bestsellers and over 1 million YouTube subscribers reaching 237 countries. Rick is the author of Shapes: Rise of the Jaggeds, a graphic novel series published by Cave Pictures Publishing; and One Small Step, a personal story of a young family dealing with the effects of suicide and alcoholism recovery. The Cry of Ramah is scheduled for release in 2025 through theunvarnished-life.com.

In 2024, Rick joined Nashville-based Belmont University as Executive Director of the Creative Arts Collective, funded by a $32MM grant from the Lilly Endowment. Rick now serves Belmont as Chief Creative Officer. Rick has been married to his wife, Vicki, for over 30 years.