Serves as the College's Chief Development and External Relations Officer in areas of development, major gifts and capital campaign, government and community relations, internal and external communications and prospect research.Responsible for the oversight and conduct of Beacon College's $12M capital campaign.In consultation and collaboration with the President, weigh institutional strategy, present and future, to guide and set in motion plans and resources essential to achieving identified major efforts of the College.As a member of the President's senior staff, work with and support team members to guide the development and update of the College's strategic plans and other efforts that are essential to determining and safeguarding Beacon's future trajectory.

Co-founder of this boutique public affairs firm specializing in providing strategic communications and public affairs services for clients seeking public relations, political, advocacy, economic development, and fundraising campaigns that are focused and disciplined.Developed a reputation for specializing in directing strategic initiatives and projects for high profile institutions and individuals who operate in environments facing continuous change.Had extensive experience in the Granite State's political arena, having serving as Senior Advisor to Governor Jeb Bush, Governor Mitt Romney, Governor Tim Pawlenty, Senate President Chuck Morse and a number of New Hampshire campaigns and initiatives. Recognized by Campaign & Elections as one of the top 500 influencers in the nation and noted by RealClearPolitics.com as "the Concord strategist is regarded by his peers in New Hampshire as one of the top three GOP strategists in the state - if not the best."Provided strategic counsel and direct support to CEOs, Board Chairs, c-suite leadership, department heads, thought leaders, volunteers, and coalition partners for public affairs, messaging, fundraising, grassroots organizing, and community engagement activities.Managed numerous communications, issue, fundraising, and political campaigns requiring campaign planning, message and concept development, earned and paid media planning, budget creation and monitoring, and constituency targeting and engagement.Led, coordinated, assisted and coached members of diverse teams for the creation, generation and implementation of written and digital content for appeals, speeches, presentations, press releases, testimony, grants, opinion pieces and various materials for dissemination through paid media, social media, earned media and grassroots networks.

At the NHHEAF Network Organizations, Rich served on the executive management team, managing policy, development and communications efforts, while also leading strategy and innovation activities.Served as chief spokesperson and external-facing executive for the organization serving media outlets, universities and colleges and public officials.

Senior Granite State consultant responsible for overall development and oversight of a New Hampshire operation that was credited with attaining the highest percentage of voter contact and engagement in the Republican primary.

As consultant, provided strategic communication services to the NH campaign.

New Hampshire strategist to a very talented New Hampshire team that developed one of the most respected and significant grassroots operations ever to participate in a New Hampshire Republican primary.

As the inaugural Fitzwater Center director, created processes for center operation, program and resource development and outreach to students and alumni.Served as Survey Director for the Center for Applied Public Opinion Research (CAPOR) and conducted number of public opinion polls on the 2004 election cycle that generated significant notoriety for the college community.Worked closely with students and faculty in the creation of the Pierce Media Group (PMG) that connected all student managed media entities (TV, radio, newspaper) into a compact working to cross-market products and commence engagement of off-campus vendors and advertisers.Responsible for constructing and being a careful steward of the Center’s inaugural advisory board of community and national leaders in public communication.Worked with President in conducting fundraising appeals in support of the Fitzwater Center and with key stewardship visits as a follow-up to the recent capital campaign.

Despite being out-spent by a 6-to-1 margin, managed the Keough gubernatorial effort to a 3% margin of difference on the ballot.For nearly a decade, the 2002 gubernatorial primary was the most contentious and most expensive primary in New Hampshire GOP history.The campaign's message discipline and strategy was heralded by a number of editorial pages -- with one stating that the effort “set the standard for intelligent campaigning.”

Oversaw the opening and the start-up of the local CSE office, including the recruitment of a 2,500 membership base in New Hampshire.Designed and managed the grassroots campaign that defeated the contentious home rule constitutional amendment in the November 2000 general election.Initiated a number of successful grassroots advocacy campaigns surrounding the 2000 presidential primary.

Served the President as a member of the senior management team, in establishing, implementing and evaluating the budgetary requirements and strategic goals of the college. Responsible for the conduct of the college’s capital campaign, worked closely with the President and Board of Trustees in approaching and soliciting individuals, corporations and foundations to close out the quiet phase of the campaign: $3M towards $4.95M goal.Wrote the content for campaign’s collateral items, proposals, correspondence and presentation decks.Managed special projects for the President including supporting the faculty with strategic, fundraising and governance management support in the creation of the college’s first three academic institutes.Served the administration as a supporting member of re-accreditation team supporting the update and site visit of NEASC.

Served as Instructor to undergraduate students in traditional and non-traditional settings in areas of political science and mass communications.

Served the President as a member of the senior management team, in establishing, implementing and evaluating the budgetary requirements and strategic goals of the college. Wrote the plan and established the framework for the conduct of the college’s capital campaign; efforts resulted in the attainment of $2.24M in pledges towards the capital campaign’s goal of $4.95M in its first twelve months of conduct.Continued demonstrating success in annual fundraising, leading the annual giving campaign to its second consecutive record year of contributions.Developed a major gift program to support the President in identifying and approaching new donors to the Pierce community.Served the administration as a supporting member of search committee for Chief Financial Officer.

Authored proposals for grants, competitive federal, state and local grant RFPs, and requests from major prospects and corporations in support of the College’s mission.Oversaw the annual giving program that attained its first collective year of $1M in donations: Annual Fund, Booster Club, and gifts from corporations and foundations.Instituted the first research program in the college’s history and modernized the information management systems.Served the administration as a supporting member of search committees for key faculty positions.

Served as chief spokesperson in promoting the college to the media and all external stakeholders. Served as chair of crisis-communications team and spokesperson addressing the death of a student on the first day of school.Worked creatively with faculty and staff to expand the College’s reputation and image by disseminating opinion pieces and reports through national and regional media outlets.Responsible for developing content to be used across all of the college’s print and web platforms.

Appointed, on sudden notice, to serve as director for the planning, administering, coordination and marketing of programs for continuing education campus of 350 students.Conducted town hall meetings with campus community to build consensus and motivation towards overcoming institutional challenges and opening school year with a renewed sense of purpose. Recruited, interviewed and hired adjunct instructors to join the faculty for the Fall semester.Utilized strategic thinking and problem-solving skills to mediate a few long-standing issues and disputes between students, faculty and staff.

Created the office responsible for corporate and foundation solicitation efforts including prospect research, proposal development and conducting presentations before boards and foundation officers.Supported Deans and the faculty as the academic development officer; jointly engaging in proposal development for departmental academic initiatives and individual faculty research projects. Worked with diverse group of faculty leadership to successfully create the mission statements and outline for implementing the college’s first three academic institutes, further drawing the internal community closer to mission and expanding the college’s identity in academic circles. Served as the college’s government relations liaison with local, state and federal government officials.

Responsible for the daily operation of a firm providing counsel on education policy to state governments and technical assistance to higher educational institutions and national organizations seeking external funding from corporations, foundations and governmental agencies.Provided critical public policy support to state governments on education policy and budget matters; and, assisted non-profits seeking external funding from corporations, foundations and government agencies.Worked closely with state government managers and staff to develop research and construct results-oriented monitoring instruments to effectively measure impact of federal education policy.Most significant accomplishment was authoring successful proposals in excess of $2.5 million dollars for clients seeking grant funding from corporations, foundations and the federal government.

Worked with a great team that grew a small company of four employees to over thirty employees in 6 year period. Took on various and increasing levels of management responsibility. Developed and edited technical documentation for U.S. Navy management and fleet representatives to perform formative and summative evaluations on all field-implemented equipment.Served as principal liaison and briefer for company’s daily interaction with civilian and Naval officers overseeing federal government programs, as well as lead external interface with contractor coalition partners and various federal agencies in Crystal City, VA, Charleston, SC and San Diego, CA.Authored successful proposal for and managed a $500K contract for ensuring life cycle support for “off-the-shelf” acquisitions of satellite communications equipment – one of Navy SATCOM’s first departures from previous Cold War acquisition practices.

Provided fleet liaison, training, technical assistance and logistical support to the Navy EHF SATCOM Program (NESP).Led the management team for preparation and conduct of Asst. Secretary of the Navy’s (ASN’s) milestone approval audit of program SATCOM terminal; outcome was issuance of the first immediate non-certification dependent approval for a Naval Space and Naval Warfare SATCOM program.Served as principal investigator on a team conducting considerable analysis, selection and procurement of over $100M in spare repair parts for the program. Worked with multiple layers of officers and enlisted personnel in conducting onsite introduction of all technical support materials associated with the EHF terminal installed aboard submarines, surface ships, and domestic and foreign shore sites for both pre-and post-Desert Storm engagement.