Richard has worked for more than thirty five years at the intersection of business, politics, and policy. His career has spanned the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, domestically and internationally, and involved a range of leading edge issues, including sustainable economy, democracy, and clean energy. He has served as Business for America’s Policy and Membership Director since 2018.

In 2009, he co-founded the American Sustainable Business Council and served as vice president for policy for ten years. In that role Richard directed membership and led state and national advocacy campaigns on the environment, energy, regulatory reform, campaign finance, and economic development issues. Richard directed ASBC’s work on Capitol Hill and with the Obama administration.

Previously, Richard served as the business outreach director for the Apollo Alliance, advocating for federal and state clean energy and job creation policies. In the 1980’s, he worked for five years as a senior troubleshooter for New York City government in two departments, focusing on identifying potential corruption and mismanagement. Beginning in the early 1990’s, he devoted ten years to growing the US solar energy industry, building sales networks and advocating for state and federal legislation and regulations to create new markets. From 1995–2000, Richard led training seminars for Fortune 1000 companies for Boston College’s Center for Corporate Citizenship. In 2007–2008, he co-directed the Colorado Cleantech for Obama campaign and helped craft gubernatorial candidate Bill Ritter’s “New Energy Economy” strategy. Richard served an adjunct faculty at the University of Denver on Environmental Policy and Sustainability for 12 years.

On the international front, beginning in 1990 Richard consulted for four years to the U.N. Environment Programme, where he organized a series of ground-breaking conferences for business on sustainable investment opportunities. During this time, he attended the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and helped launch the. U.N. Environmental Finance Initiative, as well as the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives.

He earned a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Richard has resided in Denver for 20 years.