Kim Ricketts, founder of Kim Ricketts Book Events, died Monday. She had been suffering from AL amyloidosis and a rare bone cancer since last fall. Ricketts was a fixture in Seattle’s food, restaurant, and book industries, organizing popular “Wine & Words” and “Cooks and Books” events. Among the authors she worked with were Mario Batali, Anthony Bourdain, Michael Pollan, and David Chang.
She founded her company in 2003, expanding from two clients to a growing list of companies and groups on the West Coast. She excelled in connecting authors and books with readers in venues ranging from corporate campuses to cocktail parties. Ricketts worked in bookselling prior to launching her own company.
She was the 2006 recipient of the Jeri McDonald Community Service Award, which recognizes entrepreneurial success and dedicated volunteer service to the Chamber of Commerce and the Puget Sound Community. She was a trustee of the Board of the Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, on the Jedi Council of Booktour.com, and was a member of the American Booksellers Association, the Pacific NW Booksellers Association, and the International Association of Culinary Professionals.
