Rick Vassar of Sterling is the co-founder and principal of The Vassar Group LLC.
He is a nationally published author of articles on various risk management and insurance topics. His book, "Hide! Here Comes The Insurance Guy-A Practical Guide to Understanding Business Insurance and Risk Management," was published in June 2006.
Name: Rick Vassar
Town/Neighborhood: Countryside
Years in the Community: Six
Occupation/Position: President, The Vassar Group LLC, risk management consultants, and corporate risk manager for Valcourt Building Services LC.
Achievements: CPCU (Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter) insurance designation achieved in 2005. CPCU is the highest and most prestigious designation in the property casualty insurance industry. I also achieved the Associate in Insurance Services (AIS) and Associate in Risk Management for Public Entities (ARM-P) in 2005 to complement the Associate in Risk Management (ARM) conferred in 1996.
In June 2006, I published my first book, "Hide! Here Comes the Insurance Guy-A Practical Guide to Understanding Business Insurance and Risk Management." It explains business insurance from a business perspective, without a lot of the insurance lingo.
Family: Wife Carol, daughters Katie and Emily.
What do you like or dislike about your community?: I love Countryside because it has the feel of being in the country while at the same time being so close to shopping and other amenities.
Favorite local restaurant/place: Chopsticks
Sports Interests/Activities/Hobbies: Softball, coaching, long-distance running, bicycling, church and school activities.
Community Ties: I am currently the vice chair of the ad hoc risk management committee for the Countryside Proprietary. I am also active in the Lower Loudoun Girls Softball League (LLGSL).
Community Concerns: The community is growing so fast. I am concerned about the aesthetic beauty being diminished, which occurs when an area is developed.
Community Ideas: I would like to see a more structured definition of "curbside appeal" when evaluating proprietary code parameters. In Countryside, as in other communities here in Loudoun and across the United States, there is a perception throughout Countryside that code enforcement is subjective from neighborhood to neighborhood. A clearer definition of expectations in this area would help to alleviate some frustrations many homeowners have with their associations.
Personal Goals: I plan to write another book, on the state of the health-care industry, as well as become more actively involved in making Sterling and Countryside a better place to live.
What community "hidden treasure" should more people know about?: The wooded paths leading up to and around the Potomac. Every time I go out on my bike, I find a new path, which leads to a new adventure.
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