Charles Christopher Ratigan

Charles Christopher "Charlie" RatiganApril 17, 1945 – October 4, 2018Born and raised in the Southern California town of Glendale, I was the second son of Leo Thomas Ratigan and Luisa Lopez Ratigan, both of whom immigrated to this country. Therefore, I was a first-generation American who attended Incarnation Grammar School and Loyola High School (Los Angeles), after which I earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, at California State University, Fresno, and a Master of Business Administration in Marketing, at Loyola University of Chicago's Quinlan Graduate School of Business.Following college, I enlisted in the United States Navy and attended Officer Candidate School (OCS), in Newport, Rhode Island, where I was commissioned in July of that tumultuous year, 1968. Notwithstanding a successful professional career, I was most proud of my service to my country as a Navy Lieutenant and Navigator of the USS Platte (AO-24). In that role, I completed two ten-month deployments to the Western Pacific (Vietnam), for which I was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal.Upon my release from three years of active duty, I joined Pfizer, Inc.'s Agricultural Division, in marketing and sales. Ten years later, I moved into Pfizer International's Ag Products Division, as a senior marketing executive, based in New York City, where I traveled the globe nearly twenty-six weeks per year.In 1981, I returned to the Midwest to join Heidrick & Struggles, Inc., then a Chicago and New York-based, twelve-office, high-level executive search firm with revenues of just $21.0 million. Four years later, I was promoted to Partner, and to Managing Partner of the Chicago Office, in 1986. Subsequently, I served on the firm's Board of Directors, and Operating Committee of the Board. By 1999, we had grown the firm to 63 offices worldwide, and $650.0 million in revenue, after which we took the firm public.I've left behind the love of my life, Jennifer Leslie Hogan, a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate and former educator, whom I met in Chicago, and later married at Whistling Straits. Folks often remarked that we were like geese, rarely seen apart, inseparable and devoted to each other…a personal and professional couple who shared a love of Paris, France, St. Barts, Carmel-by-the-Sea and Palm Desert, California. Of particular interest was the restoration of our ca. 1850 Manitowoc home, which now is included on both the Wisconsin and National Registers of Historic Places.Along the way, I belonged to several organizations for more than thirty years, including the University Club of Chicago, The Economic Club of Chicago, Medinah Country Club, in Medinah, Illinois, and Branch River Country Club, in Cato, Wisconsin. By way of community service, I also served on the boards of Directors of the Rahr-West Art Museum, and Felician Village (a three-tiered senior living center).My personal interests included Navy football, Wisconsin Badger football, the Green Bay Packers, aviation and aircraft ownership, horsemanship, motorcycles and golf.I loved my adopted home of Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where we made so many great friends who were additive to others, including my classmates from OCS, whom I had the privilege of knowing for more than fifty years. I was blessed to have enjoyed a full and wonderful life. I sure had fun!I was preceded in death by my parents. In addition to Jennifer, others who live-on include: my brother, Tom, of Sacramento, California, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Dr. Charles P. Schwalbe and Melissa Hogan Schwalbe, of Boonsboro, Maryland, nieces Stephanie Schwalbe Bernier (Michael), of Venice, Florida, Rebecca Schwalbe Bollweg (Chad), of West Friendship, Maryland, Kathryn Schwalbe Haggerty (Matt), of Boonsboro, Maryland, goddaughter Emily Bernier and great nephews Aidan and Owen Bollweg. A Celebration of Life will be announced at a later date. The Reinbold & Pfeffer Family Funeral Home of Manitowoc assisted the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.jensreinboldandpfeffer.comJennifer and I would like to express our appreciation for the excellent medical services and to the many other care givers who helped us through this journey.

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