Rick Darvis, CPA, CCPS

Rick is recognized as one of the country’s leading experts in both the tax and college financial planning fields. Rick’s organization operates several tax accounting and cash flow strategy firms in the Midwest. Over 3,000 small business owners currently use his firm to handle their tax and cash flow planning and tax preparation every year. His list of small business clients includes farmers with million dollar farms, land owners with multi-million dollar oil contracts, retail business owners, entrepreneurs, doctors, dentists, lawyers, real estate investors, real estate agents, E-Bay specialists, Internet marketers, network marketers, consultants, and commissioned salespeople.

Rick is also the co-founder and director of the National Institute of Certified College Planners a college planning certification and designation program (CCPS) for financial advisors. His knowledge in taxes and college planning has enabled him to be invited to speak on the topic of college financial planning and income tax planning to his contemporaries at CPA and CFP conferences in over 40 states.

Rick provides education programs on tax and college planning for many financial service companies around the country, including Manulife, MFS, American Skandia, Franklin Templeton, Eastern Bank, US Bank, Linsco Private Ledger, Securities America, Genworth, Lincoln Financial, UBS, Wachovia, Smith Barney, John Hancock Financial Network, Legg Mason, Edward Jones, and Raymond James.

Rick has also been quoted in Forbes, CNN-FN, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, Money, Business Week, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, NY Times, Smart Money, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg’s Personal Finance, Nation's Business, Financial Advisor, Dow Jones Newswire, On Investing, Knight Ridder News, Mutual Fund Market News, Research Magazine, Practical Accountant, Offspring, LIMRA's Market Facts, NAPFA Advisor, and AICPA's Planner.

Rick has been married to his wife Laura for 24 years and has five children.

Frank French, CCPS

Frank retired from senior management in the banking Industry with over 25 years of experience. During those 25 years he was involved in all facets of banking, including operations, lending, investments and capital management. Today, many community organizations currently use his banking and business expertise, including:

• 12 years Board of Director of the Sheridan Memorial Hospital Association
• 4 years Chairman of the Board of Directors Sheridan Memorial Hospital Association
• 2 years Organizational Board of Director of Sheridan Memorial Hospital & Nursing
• 2 years President of the Board of Directors of the Sheridan Memorial Hospital Foundation
• 4 years Board of Director on Finance Council of Diocese Great Falls/Billings
• 20 years Chairman of St. Joseph Parish Finance Council
• 25 years Treasurer of City of Plentywood
• Past President of the Sheridan County Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture
• Presently President of the Board of the Great Northern Development Corporation and Executive Committee

Frank graduated from Montana State University in 1974 with a B.S. degree in Business Administration. Frank has been married for over 35 years and is the father of two married and successful sons and has four grandchildren.

Ron Them, RFC, CCPS

Ron was a former Chief Financial Officer of a Fortune 500 company and currently owns his own financial advisory company specializing in cash flow planning for business owners and executives. He developed the Cash Flow Recovery® process that uses cash flow management principals to increase asset value and build wealth for business owners. Ron is also regarded as an expert in the college funding field and is one of the original founders of the National Institute of Certified College Planners, a college planning certification and designation program (CCPS) for financial advisors.

Ron graduated from Ohio University in 1972 with a Bachelors degree in Finance and an Associate degree in Accounting. In 1978 he served as the Comptroller for the Entronics division of Cooper Energy Services Group, responsible for the financial reporting of the oil compressor pipeline divisions in Alaska, Russia, and Mexico. In 1984 he was hired as the Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of Foote Industries. In five years Ron financially reconstructed this family-owned company to profitability, which was then sold in 1989 to Dana Corporation.

Ron was also the developer of:

• Cash Flow Recovery System - a cash flow cost containment software that provides business owners with a step-by-step process to increase income, reduce expenses, and limit tax liabilities.
• Tuition Rx Program, a coaching and newsletter program for college advisors
• Student-Athlete Rx, a self-marketing and recruiting program for student-athletes

Ron is a frequent speaker on the subject of business cash flow management and college funding and has been quoted in:

U.S. News and World Report, Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Smart Money, Financial Advisor Magazine, Small Firm Profit Report, Practical Accountant, LIMRA's Market Facts, Senior Advisors Magazine, HR Magazine, BenefitNews.com, Employee Benefit News Magazine, ProducersWeb.com, Entrepreneur Magazine, Insurance Selling Magazine, CollegeNews.com, The Christian Voice, and Columbus CEO Magazine

Ron is a Registered Financial Consultant (RFC) and a Certified College Planning Specialist (CCPS). He has been married to his wife Brenda for 30 years and has two children and one grandchild.