Michael Zaretsky

Michael Zaretsky (born 1961) is an American entrepreneur renowned for his diverse accomplishments as a former professional Belarusian ping pong athlete and coach. He gained prominence as the founder of 11 Ravens, a multidisciplinary design studio that manufactures game tables and furniture. He is also the founder and president of The Gilbert Table Tennis Center, a table tennis facility based in Los Angeles, and the Sport & Art Educational Foundation, a non-profit organization promoting sportsmanship, artistic expression, and educational support, through sports and art.
In 2022, he co-founded Ravella Tequila, further exemplifying his innovative and enterprising spirit. With a compelling blend of sporting expertise and business acumen, Zaretsky has left a significant mark in sports and entrepreneurship.
==Early life and sports==
Zaretsky was born and raised in Gomel, Belarus, where he displayed an early passion for table tennis. He started training at age 8, leading him to participate in his debut tournament at just 9 years old. Through dedicated practice and refinement of his abilities, Zaretsky progressed to become a professional ping pong player in Belarus and achieved victory in the Belarusian Junior Championship at age 17.
===Professional coach===
At 22, Zaretsky started a coaching career, sharing his extensive expertise with aspiring table tennis players, particularly young talents. Subsequently, in 1989, he relocated to the United States, initially residing in New York City before establishing his home in Los Angeles.
==Career==
===Gilbert Table Tennis Center===
In 2003, Zaretsky established the Gilbert Table Tennis Center in Los Angeles, embodying his vision of a premier table tennis facility. The center is renowned for its commitment to promoting excellence in table tennis and nurturing young talent. Notably, the center hosted the esteemed Gilbert Cup Event from 1996 to 1998, which remains the most renowned international table tennis tournament ever held in Los Angeles.
===Sport and Art Educational Foundation (SAEF)===
In 2007, Zaretsky founded the Sport and Art Educational Foundation (SAEF) as a certified non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation aims to benefit various groups in the community, including seniors with Alzheimer's, sedentary seniors and baby boomers, "at-risk" children from low-income families, and developmentally and physically disabled children. SAEF also operates as a cutting-edge table tennis coaching facility, nurturing the next generation of U.S. Table Tennis athletes for the Olympic Junior Competition and world-class participation in the sport. The foundation promotes sportsmanship, artistic expression, and educational support through sports and art.
===Entrepreneurship===
Driven by his entrepreneurial spirit, Zaretsky co-founded 11 Ravens in 2011, sharing a mutual passion for sports and art with his co-founder, Bernard Semerdjian, an acclaimed designer and devoted table tennis player. 11 Ravens is a US-based design and manufacturing company that designs and manufactures game tables and furniture. Their extensive game table range includes billiards, table tennis, poker, mahjong, pool, shuffleboards, blackjack, air hockey, football, and others.
In 2018, Zaretsky, with his daughter Elizabeth Zaretzky and Semerdjian, ventured into the spirits industry with the launch of Ravella, a distinguished tequila brand. Following a successful soft launch in 2018, Ravella made its nationwide debut in 2022, introducing its first expression, Ravella Extra Añejo, while other variants like Crystallino, Blanco, and Joven are currently in development.
==References==
==External links==
* Sport and Art Educational Foundation (SAEF)
* Gilbert Table Tennis Center
* 11Ravens
* Ravella Tequila
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Category:1961 births
Category:American entrepreneurs
Category:American businesspeople
Category:People from Gomel