Rick is a professional director. He is a past President of the New Zealand Institute of Directors having been made a Fellow in February 2000 and is a graduate, Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. His current directorships of public listed and private entities include Chairman of Dominion Finance Limited, Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand, Aviation Security and Southport Limited. Rick was the Managing Director of Wrightson from 1987 to 1991 and the CEO of Alliance Group (a large South Island meat co-operative) from 1991 to 1995. From 1995 to 1998, he also headed the law firm of Kensington Swann.