Rick Manfredi Bio

Rick Manfredi developed an interest in the American Civil War and especially the war in Missouri at a very early age. At about age twelve Rick found out that his second great grandfather was shot in 1864, but he could not determine why. Only with extensive research and the coming of the digital age, could Rick discover why. He wrote a book on this event and the history of Missouri in the Civil War in 2018 titled “The Story, Retribution of Arrow Rock.” This research enabled him to determine how unique the Civil War in Missouri was compared to any other state.

Rick presented for the Friends of Arrow Rock at their “First Saturday Presentation Series” Titled: “The Four Reasons why Marshall Durrett Piper was shot by the First Missouri State Militia Calvary.” His book is being sold by the State of Missouri at the Arrow Rock State Park and by the Friends of Arrow Rock. That presentation does not regurgitate the information in the book but explains why his Great, Great Grandfather was shot by a Union firing squad without trial.

Rick served on active duty in the US Army and then the Missouri National Guard for 27 years as a combat engineer. During that time, he was deployed out of country seven times: four to Japan and then one each to Korea, Panama, and Honduras. He retired in 1999 as Lieutenant Colonel. He was a claim manager with several local insurance companies before retiring in 2008.

Rick has a BS in Marketing and Business Management from Missouri State University and a Master of Business Management (MBA) from Baker University. He is a Charter Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU). Rick is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and twice was asked to provide input for the Strategic Crisis Exercise at the U.S. Army War College.

Besides the American Civil War Rick’s interests are training and running bird dogs in field trials and gardening. He is the past Treasurer of the National Shoot to Retrieve Association which is a $600,000 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation in Plainfield, Indiana. He is currently on the board of the Water Garden Society of Kansas City.

Rick and his wife Suzanne have been married for over 50 years and have a son and daughter living in the Kansas City area. Rick joined the Round Table in 2018.