Title: President and Founder
Company: Plush Retirement
Location: Grand Prairie, Texas, United States
Eric “Ric” Carroll, President and Founder at Plush Retirement, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Business Owners for dedication, achievements and leadership in Financial Services.
Mr. Carroll has established a diverse, distinguished career, culminating in financial education and retirement planning as the president and founder of Plush Retirement since 2024. Under his leadership, the company began operations in 2025, focusing on educating clients about wealth protection, investment strategies, college funding and retirement planning. Mr. Carroll is recognized for his expertise in identifying potential risks, understanding clients’ financial situations, and guiding them through the planning process. He calculates projections for various retirement ages and educates clients on a range of programs to help them achieve a clear understanding of the most appropriate investment strategies. Mr. Carroll’s commitment to client education is evident in his interactive approach, which includes engaging presentations and personalized consultations.
Before launching Plush Retirement, Mr. Carroll served as a Teacher Retirement System (TRS) pension review specialist and retirement specialist with Appreciation Financial from 2019 to 2025. In this capacity, he found fulfillment in helping Texas teachers understand their TRS pension plans. Mr. Carroll developed innovative methods to engage educators, such as offering wheel prizes during presentations and initiating conversations with thought-provoking questions about retirement readiness. Through these efforts, he regularly secured appointments to discuss pensions, assess financial needs and develop tailored retirement plans. Mr. Carroll’s work empowered teachers to make informed decisions about their financial futures.
Earlier in 2019, Mr. Carroll briefly worked as a licensed independent agent specializing in life and health insurance with Game Changing Benefits. He provided guidance on insurance products and helped clients select coverage that aligned with their needs. From 2017 to 2019, Mr. Carroll gained experience in telecommunications as an account manager at CenturyLink, where he focused on building client relationships, meeting deliverables and deadlines. His earlier tenure at AT&T included roles as an account manager in outside sales from 2011 to 2017, following his work as an account executive in inside sales between 2007 and 2011. Mr. Carroll first worked in customer service at AT&T in 1996, then served as a field service manager from 1999 to 2002.
Additionally, Mr. Carroll held positions at Countrywide Home Loans as a personal loan consultant, at AmeriNat as a senior loan officer and at Reliant Mortgage as a loan officer. These roles enabled him to assist clients with home financing solutions while navigating the challenges of the 2008 financial crisis.
Throughout his career, Mr. Carroll has demonstrated expertise in college funding, annuities, gold investments, wealth protection and retirement planning. He is highly regarded for developing financial education programs that have helped numerous college students save between $15,000 and $20,000 on their education costs. Notably, his collaboration with the American College Foundation has enabled students to manage their finances more effectively by leveraging available endowments, sometimes resulting in savings of up to $25,000 per year.
A significant aspect of Mr. Carroll’s background is his military service. He served eight years in the U.S. Army Reserve and four years on active duty with the U.S. Army, including deployment during Desert Storm. Stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas, and later spending two and a half years in Hawaii, he contributed to communications efforts by helping establish AM radio broadcasts from Schofield Barracks on Oahu’s east side. After receiving an early discharge in 1991, Mr. Carroll continued his commitment by serving two years with the U.S. National Guard, including assignments with a tanker unit in Arlington, Texas, and an aviation unit at the Grand Prairie Naval Reserve in Dallas, Texas.
Mr. Carroll’s academic achievements include earning a bachelor’s degree in advertising with a minor in marketing from the University of Texas at Arlington in 1999. This educational foundation has been instrumental in shaping his approach to client communication and strategic planning within the financial sector. Additionally, Mr. Carroll is a certified college funding specialist, further underscoring his commitment to providing expert guidance on educational financing.
Mr. Carroll’s affiliations include membership with the Grand Prairie Chamber of Commerce and the Beta Theta Pi Foundation & Administrative Office. He also serves as the treasurer for American Legion Post 184. Additionally, he participates with the Evangelical Team at First Methodist Church in Irving, Texas. Beyond his professional and civic pursuits, Mr. Carroll has contributed creatively as an actor, appearing in productions such as “The Waiting Game,” “Prison Break,” “Dallas,” “The Chase” and “The Deep End.”
In light of his military service, Mr. Carroll has received several military commendations, including the Army Achievement Medal and the Good Conduct Medal. Looking ahead, he aims to continue making an impact by assisting thousands of individuals with retirement planning and supporting students as they set goals for college enrollment through organizations like the American College Foundation. Mr. Carroll is dedicated to establishing Plush Retirement as a trusted resource for both retirement assistance and comprehensive financial education, emphasizing concepts such as the Rule of 72, which explains that dividing 72 by an expected rate of return provides an estimate of how long it will take for an investment to double. In doing so, Mr. Carroll can empower others toward lifelong financial security.
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