Matt Higgins (born c. 1974)[1] is an American businessman, author, and the co-founder and CEO of RSE Ventures,[2] a private investment firm that focuses on sports and entertainment, media and marketing, food and lifestyle, and technology.
His first book, Burn the Boats: Toss Plan B Overboard and Unleash Your Full Potential [4] was published by William Morrow in 2023, and was named a Wall Street Journal Bestseller.
[8] After growing up in abject poverty and taking care of his ailing mother, Higgins decided to drop out of high school at age 16, obtain his equivalency diploma and enroll at Queens College,[9] where he took night classes and graduated with a political science degree.
[10] He started his career as an award-winning investigative reporter at the Queens Tribune and attended Fordham University School of Law at night, while working for Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani as the youngest press secretary in New York City history.
[10] Higgins is the CEO and co-founder of RSE Ventures, a company that has invested in various companies and technologies, including: FanVision, the handheld device that is the official in-venue content provider of NASCAR,[11] Thuzio, the project of former NFL running back Tiki Barber and Mark Gerson of Gerson Lehrman Group,[12] and the Drone Racing League,[13] the world's first professional drone racing circuit.
[18] Along with these investments, Higgins and RSE have launched several companies, including public relations firm Derris and Insignia in 2012 (now Ascendent Sports Group),[19] and the International Champions Cup soccer tournament in 2013.
[citation needed] Before his career with the Jets, Higgins was COO of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, the firm tasked with rebuilding the site of the World Trade Center.
The award recognizes individuals who have made it their mission to share their wealth of knowledge, courage, compassion, unique talents and selfless generosity with those less fortunate.