Rich is a life long Automotive and Firearms enthusiast. A career in the Automotive field, including a stint as a Pro Stock Drag racer. In 2002; Rich met up with another firearms enthusiast and future OFDA-I Hall of Fame inductee by the name of Ron Paul Duning.
Ron invited Rich to attend a Buckeye Ranger Fast Draw practice session and the rest is history.
Rich brought an intensity and goal for perfection mixed with a heightened awareness for total safety to the game. During this time, Rich became a Range Officer and would issue and grade Range Officer exams to prospective candidates. Rich was also one of the long tenured OFDA-I Safety Officers. Rich was instrumental in pushing for and getting passed the adoption of Ballistic Netting for use as back stops replacing the heavy and cumbersome wood back stops previously used. Rich purchased on his own, the first ballistic netting and would set it up a competitions for other shooter to try out. On the Line, no one questioned Rich’s attention to procedures and Safety. As a fellow competitor, if you broke something and Rich had a spare…you got it whether you asked for it or not! As Buckeye Ranger, it was common place for Rich to hand out spare equipment to new members until they could procure their own. If it was a high end expensive brand new gun…you got it. Holsters, shells, wax… did not matter to him. The idea was get you going and get you to stay involved. Public events would find Rich engaging people mostly the youngsters and letting them try out different equipment.
Rich was no stranger to opening is wallet to make purchases that the club needed to keep it going. Tents, Timer, Tables, etc., and then he would donate it as Club Equipment”. He never asked for a refund. In 2017 Rich decided to make a retirement move to Texas. Most of the equipment he owned he left to the club. Unfortunately health issues put a damper on his Fast Draw aspirations but he still remains a card carrying member of the OFDA-I and will always be a member of the Buckeye Rangers. His dues are already paid.
Ron invited Rich to attend a Buckeye Ranger Fast Draw practice session and the rest is history.
Rich brought an intensity and goal for perfection mixed with a heightened awareness for total safety to the game. During this time, Rich became a Range Officer and would issue and grade Range Officer exams to prospective candidates. Rich was also one of the long tenured OFDA-I Safety Officers. Rich was instrumental in pushing for and getting passed the adoption of Ballistic Netting for use as back stops replacing the heavy and cumbersome wood back stops previously used. Rich purchased on his own, the first ballistic netting and would set it up a competitions for other shooter to try out. On the Line, no one questioned Rich’s attention to procedures and Safety. As a fellow competitor, if you broke something and Rich had a spare…you got it whether you asked for it or not! As Buckeye Ranger, it was common place for Rich to hand out spare equipment to new members until they could procure their own. If it was a high end expensive brand new gun…you got it. Holsters, shells, wax… did not matter to him. The idea was get you going and get you to stay involved. Public events would find Rich engaging people mostly the youngsters and letting them try out different equipment.
Rich was no stranger to opening is wallet to make purchases that the club needed to keep it going. Tents, Timer, Tables, etc., and then he would donate it as Club Equipment”. He never asked for a refund. In 2017 Rich decided to make a retirement move to Texas. Most of the equipment he owned he left to the club. Unfortunately health issues put a damper on his Fast Draw aspirations but he still remains a card carrying member of the OFDA-I and will always be a member of the Buckeye Rangers. His dues are already paid.