Richard serves as the regional coordinator for public/private partnerships with the Western Center for Risk Management Education. As executive vice president of the Montana Grain Growers Association (MGGA), Richard oversees all of the organization's administrative functions, including policy implementation. The MGGA, which has membership base of 1,600 producers, is the primary commodity organization representing the state's wheat and barley farmers. In a previous position with the MGGA, Richard created an educational program to improve the marketing and risk management skills of producers in the state. In that role, he was responsible for overall funding, development and management of Montana MarketManager©, a pioneering new marketing education and information program for producers. Montana MarketManager© integrates workshops/seminars, marketing clubs and an on-line market information system. Richard earned a bachelor's degree in agricultural education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in Blacksburg, Virginia and holds the Certified Association Executive (CAE) designation from the American Society of Association Executives.