Born in California and raised in Santa Barbara, Richard started his career 25 years ago in the Gold Coast Chapter of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. After completing their four year program and earning his journeyman carpenter’s certificate, Richard worked on many notable, local projects, including the UCSB Building Center, Raytheon, Paseo Nuevo, two of the City of Santa Barbara’s downtown parking structures, and Exxon’s oil refinery in Las Flores Canyon.
Richard’s passion for the trades led him to custom home building and obtaining employment with Allen Associates in 1995. During that time period, one of Richard’s projects – the restoration of an historical adobe home – received the first Green Building Award from the Santa Barbara Contractors Association. Family commitments took Richard to Northern California for 10 years, where he was self-employed and became a certified installer of energy efficient heating systems including those for solar pools. He also had the opportunity to frequently visit the North Shore of Lake Tahoe. In 2011, Richard returned to Santa Barbara and the Allen Associates family, continuing his career in building healthy, green projects.
Richard’s wife, Lisa, and their six children are a special part of his life. Richard also enjoys the outdoors and a good mountain bike downhill race with friends.