Rick joined Whitaker & Associates, Inc. in 2010 as a Principal.  He graduated from Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada with a Bachelors of Arts in Economics.  He is a Chartered Accountant and a Certified Public Accountant. Additionally, Rick holds the Accredited in Business Valuation (ABV) and the Certified in Financial Forensics (CFF) designations issued by the AICPA, the Certified Fraud Examiner designation issued by the ACFE and the Certified Valuation Analyst designation issued by NACVA. Originally from Ontario, Canada he moved to Sacramento in 1998 to work with a large regional public accounting firm as an audit manager. Rick has 20 years of public accounting experience in Canada and the United States managing accounting, audit, litigation support, business valuation and other consulting engagements.  Rick has extensive experience performing audit and review engagements for clients in diverse industries with a specialization in the construction, manufacturing, healthcare and restaurant industries.  Rick has over twelve years of experience auditing employee benefit plans.

Rick has provided expert witness testimony in Superior Court in Contra Costa County.

Apart from his professional activities Rick spends time with his family, and enjoys, cycling, weight training and golfing.