Rickman Enterprise Group (Rickman) has been doing business with Consumers Energy for almost ten years, but recently we got to know them better.
Our paths have crossed at events for the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) as well as the National Veteran Business Development Council (NVBDC.) Rickman and Consumers Energy are proud members of both councils.
In 2022, Roderick Rickman was part of a mentorship program offered by the NMSDC. The NMSDC provides us with opportunities to partner with diverse suppliers and become involved in our communities. Craig Degenfelder, Executive Director of Gas Strategy, stepped up to be a mentor through this program and the match was made.
During this program Mr. Rickman was glad to learn that the values of Consumers Energy align with his. One specific piece he stated was, “We sustain relations by demonstrating relationships every day.”
Mr. Rickman founded Rickman Enterprise Group (Rickman) in 1988 after serving in the Army. He used his military training and GI money to return home, buy a truck and start his business. Working with his brother, Kenn Rickman, the business now employs about 45 people.
Rickman provides complete industrial cleaning, waste management, facility management and interior finishing. The business is headquartered in Detroit, with two satellite locations in Atlanta and New York.
The Detroit location is not far from where the brothers were born and raised, and they are proud to continue their ties to their hometown community.
Rickman’s services align with Consumers Energy’s current and future needs. For example, Rickman provides clean environmental initiatives for the public and private sectors, including carbon neutral services.
Work like this supports Consumers Energy’s goal of having net zero emissions by 2040. They would also like to develop and grow into electric vehicle cleaning and maintenance.
Mr. Rickman is excited for the future of his company. He plans to continue to “provide environmentally friendly solutions to remediate and clean utility lines utilizing new and innovative technologies.”
In addition to developing technology, he also wants to generate talent. It is important to Mr. Rickman that he develops the next generation of young people interested in the business. They look to local universities and faith-based organizations to partner with internships, training and working sessions.
“We take pride in including the next generation of environmental leaders and developing new and innovative ways to increase sustainability, carbon neutrality and the preservation of our Earth,” said Mr. Rickman.
Mr. Rickman and Consumers Energy share a commitment to their values, especially when it comes to a tradition of performance excellence. “We want to remain focused on insuring that we can deliver a professional and competitive price, innovative technology, safe and on time service and be able to communicate effectively in real time to our customers,” he said.
We are honored to work with a minority- and veteran-owned company whose values align so closely with our own. Learn more about how we continue to strive to develop a diverse supplier base of companies who can grow with us into the future.
