jkkukTell us a little bit about where you’re from and where you went to school:

I am from Stuart, FL, a smaller town on the east coast of Florida about 30 miles north of West Palm Beach. I received my B.S. in Biology from Wake Forest University in North Carolina.

What drew you to this profession?

I have always had an interest in the natural world, both to understand it and to experience it. Plus I got the best grades in my bio classes!

What types of projects have you worked on?

I work on mostly private land development projects but occasionally take on transportation projects and other municipality projects. For all of those projects, I provide support for addressing natural resources (wetlands, listed species, and trees) and taking the projects through permitting on the federal, state, and local government levels.

What do you like to do in your free time?

You will generally find me on the water somewhere. Lots of time fishing, kayaking, sailing, and camping.

What would be impossible for you to give up?

Apparently my boat because the maintenance costs suggest I should have given it up a long time ago!

Any interesting facts about yourself that you’d like to share?

Having grown up only 100 miles south of the Kennedy Space Center, I’m for sure a space nerd and love to watch rocket launches!

Who or what inspires you?

The immensity of the Universe. For many, this is a deflating thought, that we are an inconsequential speck in comparison. For me, it’s all about the journey that humans took to get to the point where we are able to measure that immensity. So far as we know, we’re the only beings that have accomplished this and that’s really cool!

Everyone at WGI has a story about why they joined the team. What’s yours?

At the time I graduated from college, the tech bubble had just burst and jobs were scarce. I knew I wanted to be in the environmental field, but getting my foot in the door was a battle. I actually started at Land Design South installing plant material for upland and wetland mitigation projects and performing maintenance on the preserves. After about two years and tens of thousands of planted trees, I started transitioning into the permitting side and haven’t looked back!

Thanks for your time, Rick! We are appreciative of everything you do.

Interested in working with Awesome Associates like Rick? Check out our Careers page to learn more about our company and our current openings!