Securing your rights to liberty and the pursuit of happiness
In 2003, Ricky decided to be more involved in government than just as an informed voter and has enjoyed learning and implementing the principles of our Founding Fathers in various capacities ever since. He has served in local, county, state positions in the Weber County and Utah State Republican Party. He served for six years on Farr West City's Planning Commission.
Born in Sandy, Utah, Ricky graduated from Alta High, and then with honors from Brigham Young University with a master's degree in accounting. He worked for seven years as an information systems auditor and consultant for Price Waterhouse in Los Angeles and Warsaw, Poland. He worked as a business analyst and project manager for Parametric Technology Corp. in Munich, Germany and Boston. In 2002, he established, ran, and taught at a private K-12 school in Ogden, later becoming CFO of a chain of private schools throughout the western U.S. He worked as a financial analyst for Jetway in Ogden for five years before being elected as Clerk/Auditor in 2010.
Ricky was honored by his fellow county auditors as Utah's Auditor of the Year (2013, 2017) and Clerk of the Year (2015, 2022). He's a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), earned his Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) license in 1998, and his Certified Public Official (CPO) certification in 2016.
He testified before Congress in 2018 and 2021. He and his office have garnered several national awards for innovation and best practices in elections and tax administration. He has been a featured presenter at state national conferences throughout the country on topics ranging from elections to internal auditing.
Ricky serves or has served in the following organizations:
- Executive Committee, Governmental Accounting Standards Advisory Council (GASAC)
- Vice Chair, U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC) Board of Advisors
- Board of Directors & Chair of the Elections Subcommittee, National Association of Counties (NACo)
- Past President and Board of Directors - Utah Association of Counties
- Chair, County Utah Clerk's Legislative Policy Committee (Since 2016)
- Appointed member of a national 15-person task force on Artificial Intelligence, NACo
- Founding Member, Department of Homeland Security's Election Infrastructure Government Coordinating Council, Chair of the Communications Working Group and co-author of the Election Infrastructure's Communications Protocols and National Elections Cyber Incident Response Plan
- Past President, Utah Clerk and Auditor Association
- Member of the Governor's Private Activity Bond Authority Board
- Treasurer and Election Officials Division Director of the International Association of Government Officials (iGO)
- Member, Local Leadership Council, EAC
- Past Executive Board Member, Ogden-Weber Chamber of Commerce
- Past Chair, Leadership Northern Utah (LNU) Academy
- Board of Advisors, Center for Civic Design
- Board of Advisors, Vote Early Day
- Board of Directors, County Support Services (2019-2022)
- Executive Committee, Committee for Safe & Secure Elections
- Member, Constitution Day Committee
- Scoutmaster, Eagle Scout
Although learning about and promoting principles of good government are among his favorite activities, Ricky also enjoys hiking, racquetball, reading, public speaking, writing, singing, jogging, theatre, indoor surfing at the Flowrider in Ogden, skiing, playing various musical instruments, and rough-housing with grandkids and pets. He served as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in France, Belgium and Luxembourg, and still speaks French, albeit slowly and with a funny accent.
Ricky has five fantastic grown children and lives in Ogden, Utah.