Industry Expert Panelist!
Is This You?

About The Cowboy...

The Cardinal Cowboy, Carter Rethwisch, was born in the South County St. Louis area. Carter was raised as an avid baseball player (SLABA Team MVP 1990 - Rupp, Burkhart same class, later Freese, Howard) and a big Cardinals Fan. His idol as a kid was Ozzie Smith!

On September 21st of 1991 Carter was in a fatal accident that put him into a coma.. With less than 50/50 odds to survive, 7 days later, Carter broke his arms from the restraints and pulled the ventilator out of his own throat. Since this traumatic event and story of survival the Cowboy tours much of the country explaining to kids and adults that you can over-come and accomplish anything if you are just willing to "Never Give Up" and "Put In The Work"!

Arc To Success

The Cardinal Cowboy, wants to share stories about people who have made Impressive Accomplishments in life, asking them to share their personal "Arc to Success" to show everyone that this IS ALL REAL and POSSIBLE.

We want to show these people who HAVE DONE IT and to explain HOW THEY DID IT!

With a Masters in Media Communication, and after 10 years managing the E-mail Systems for Anheuser-Busch and now 10+ years running digital marketing strategies up to over $100,000 a month Carter loves to help small businesses and organizations show off who they are..

In 2018 Carter finished ranked #1 of 882 advisors in one the world's largest marketing firms. Carter loves to help all of those in our community..

Carter, as the Cardinal Cowboy, visits and speaks to schools, universities, businesses and organizations sharing his message of beating the odds while also visiting kids at area hospitals keeping their mind on track to survive and thrive.

He has reached some incredible accolades, awards and goals (the Bob Emig Youth Sports Supporter Of The Year Award and the MO Brain Injury Association Service Excellence Award for Public Relations among others) along the way that many dream of all while helping people to realize they can surviv, pull through and be a great leader too.

True Life Stories

Parents and now adult kids have come back to the Cardinal Cowboy some years later explaining that they themselves or their child was "ready to die" or was prepared to "commit suicide" until they met with and heard the Cardinal Cowboys powerful message of "Proving the Experts Wrong. and Chasing Your Dreams!" 

Their are no holds barred when the Cowboy is asked to come change someone's life who is going the wrong direction. He will help anyone willing to do what it takes to turn their life around.

This will bring out the best that is the St. Louis Community and Cardinal Nation while helping to elevate everyone he comes in contact with. 

Click here for the Cardinal Cowboys full bio page.

About The Judge...

Judge Michael Carter has lived in St Charles county since 1994. However he was born in North St. Louis County and primarily grew up near North Hanley & 270 in a highly integrated apartment complex by the name of Morningside Apartments. In the 9th grade his family moved off of Howdershell/McDonnell Blvd. while Carter attended Hazelwood West.

Immediately out of high school Mike started work in the family real estate business. After 5+ years in the trade (he is still a broker) Carter decided to complete his college education and pursue political science, philosophy, journalism, law, and marketing. During this educational trek Carter drove for UPS, bartended at Applebee's and worked for years as a graduate teaching assistant. (he continued to teach marketing at Mizzou & UMSL for ~14 years)

Ultimately, Mike obtained his bachelors in philosophy/poli-sci, juris doctorate, and masters of journalism from UMSL and MIZZOU.

After graduating Michael went to work for Fleishman Hillard in the Public Affairs department. However, with enough business coming in from family and friends the Judge started his own law Firm — Carter Law Offices, LLC in St. Charles, MO. (handling real estate, criminal, and corporate law)

Michael is the municipal judge of Wentzville, president of Carter Law Offices, broker of Homes USA, and general counsel / COO for one of the largest employers in the St Charles county area — recently negotiating the multi-million dollar deal to name Car Shield Field, the home of the River City Rascals.

In his many years as Wentzville’s municipal judge, Carter was ahead of the curve in implementing sweeping changes to Wentzville’s court before the advent of statewide senate bills 5 & 572 which ultimately brought the state’s municipal courts in line with Carter’s municipal court efforts. Area circuit judges have commended Judge Carter for his forward-looking efforts and wrote letters of accolades to his city aldermen and mayor to express such.

Carter also worked for years to help successfully ban red-light cameras in St. Charles County thereby severely impacting their use statewide as well.

Judge Carter is concerned with the entire St Louis metro area and hopes to specifically draw attention to goings on in St Charles County — politics, charities, businesses, entertainment, sports, and more — because important specific local coverage for this county is something the area needs much more of.