At the age of 35, Ritchie was able to retire, financially independent. He had, at that point, accumulated the control of 26 business ventures including: a Chevrolet agency, wholesale and retail travel companies, a feed processing plant, farm store, International Harvester dealership, Skidoo dealership, Sears catalog, land development, motels, restaurants, Meadow Gold dairy products distributor, Salt Lake Tribune distributor, and pig farmer. At the same time he served twice as Country Fair Chairman, Parade Chairman, charter member of the Economic Development Council for Wasatch County, bishop, and he helped found the famous Heber Creeper. Later in life, Ritchie was selected as senior VP over sales and training of Franklin Quest. Ritchie has also been a seminary teacher, institute director, stake president, mission president and Regional Representative for the LDS Church. He and his wife Carolyn served 6 years on missions to New Zealand and Africa finishing their "tour" as President of the MTC in Ghana. They also served from 2008 to 2011 as the directors of the Willes Center for International Entrepreneurship at BYU-H. Their last full time mission was in 2011 and 12 where they served as the YSA Specialists in the DC South Mission.