Rick von Gnechten serves as WaterStone’s Chief Operating Office and Chief Gift Strategist. He has a passion for helping Christian leaders realize their Kingdom calling to fulfill the Great Commandment and Great Commission.
Rick has nearly three decades of senior financial executive experience for public (NYSE, OTC), private, Fortune 600, emerging growth, and international companies in various industries, including financial services, energy, real estate/construction, healthcare, software, diversified business and non-profit.
Prior to joining WaterStone, Rick spent 10-years as CFO/COO for a registered investment advisor, growing assets under management from $400 million to $1.2 billion. He previously spent six years running an executive consulting firm and serving as CFO to various public and private companies, providing corporate finance, capital-raising, strategic planning and transaction support services.
Rick has also served as CFO for a 2-billion, NYSE diversified U.S. public company and previously led customer operations and strategic planning for this same Fortune 600 corporation. He operated and turned around two healthcare businesses and installed an ESOP for a professional corporation.
Rick has served on numerous boards (public and private), including nine years for two different Christian schools. He is a two-time graduate and trained coach of The Master’s Program. He has taught Investment and Strategic Planning as adjunct faculty for undergraduates and MBA students. Rick has served as a deacon and Sunday School teacher for his Church.
Rick holds a MBA from Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business, is a Financial Management Program graduate of Stanford’s Graduate School of Business and holds a BA in Economics from the University of Denver. He and his wife Denice have three adult children and six grandchildren.