“Just Do It.”
Richard G. Larsen is a distinguished executive, board leader, attorney (retired), certified public accountant (Inactive), educator, and strategic advisor whose career spans more than five decades of leadership, governance, operational excellence, and professional service. Throughout his remarkable journey, he has consistently demonstrated an ability to guide organizations through periods of growth, transformation, risk, and opportunity. His professional legacy is defined not only by the positions he has held, but by the lasting impact he has made on the organizations, industries, and individuals he has served.
From the earliest stages of his career, Dick displayed an uncommon combination of intellectual rigor, leadership capability, and strategic vision. While attending The George Washington University, he distinguished himself academically and through student leadership roles, serving as President of the Student Government of the Columbia College and President of the Inter-Fraternity Council. He later earned his Juris Doctor with Honors from The George Washington University Law School, where he served as Associate Editor of the International Law Journal and participated in Moot Court competitions. His commitment to continuous learning was further strengthened through completion of the prestigious Advanced Management Program at Columbia Business School.
Dick’s professional career began with experience on the staffs of three United States Senators, where he gained firsthand exposure to public policy, constituent relations, government operations, and political decision-making. These formative experiences helped shape his understanding of leadership, governance, and stakeholder engagement—skills that would become defining characteristics throughout his career. Working within the legislative environment also provided valuable insights into how organizations operate within complex regulatory and political landscapes.
In 1974, Dick joined Ernst & Young, embarking on what would become a 35-year career with one of the world’s most respected professional services firms. His rise through the organization was extraordinary, achieving promotion from staff professional to partner in the shortest period of in the firm’s history. Throughout his tenure, he assumed increasingly significant leadership responsibilities, managing large teams and operations, driving strategic initiatives, and advising some of the world’s most influential corporations. His ability to combine technical expertise with business acumen established him as a trusted advisor to executives, boards, and multinational organizations.
As a senior leader at Ernst & Young, Dick held numerous high-profile leadership positions, including membership on both the firm’s Global and Americas Advisory Executive Committees. He served as Tax Managing Partner for major regional offices, Regional Director responsible for seventeen offices across the Mid-Atlantic region, National Tax and Risk Advisory Services Partner, and ultimately Global Director of Tax Risk Services. In these roles, he managed complex business operations, developed growth strategies, oversaw profitability initiatives, and led large-scale organizational transformations that enhanced operational efficiency and client service excellence.
Dick’s expertise extended well beyond traditional tax and accounting disciplines. He became a recognized authority in risk management, operational improvement, technology implementation, strategic planning, and organizational change. For example, he led a team of approximately fifty dedicated, full-time professionals for almost a year in transforming a previously firm-wide, underperforming business line into one of the firm’s most profitable operations. He also chaired the firm’s Tax Technology Steering Committee and, initiated and led the team that developed pioneering innovative digital client-service platforms, demonstrating an ability to anticipate future trends and leverage technology as a competitive advantage. Dick was also a member of the E&Y New Products Development Committee and Knowledge Committees.
A respected industry leader, Dick developed deep expertise within the Aerospace and Defense sector, serving as Ernst & Young’s National Aerospace and Defense Industry Tax Leader. He advised major multinational corporations, including some of the world’s largest defense contractors, on complex tax, risk, operational, and strategic matters. His international responsibilities took him across Europe, Canada, Asia, Australia, and South Africa, where he collaborated with clients and colleagues on global business initiatives. This extensive international exposure broadened his perspective and strengthened his ability to navigate diverse cultural, economic, and regulatory environments.
Dick’s commitment to public service and governance has been a defining aspect of his career. He was appointed to serve on the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council, where he contributed to significant policy discussions involving large business taxpayers, risk assessment methodologies, remote work strategies, knowledge management, and operational effectiveness. While a member of the National IRS Advisory Council, he was asked to make presentations at two National IRS Senior Executive Training programs. His leadership and analytical contributions helped shape recommendations that influenced both tax administration and organizational practices within the Internal Revenue Service.
Following his retirement from Ernst & Young in 2009, Dick transitioned into academia, joining the faculty of George Mason University’s School of Business as a Distinguished Professor. There, he taught undergraduate, MBA, Executive MBA, and graduate accounting students, combining real-world executive experience with academic excellence. His courses focused on taxation, management, leadership, global business strategy, and risk management. Students consistently recognized him as one of the university’s most impactful educators, leading to multiple teaching awards, including the Phillip A. Blanchard Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching and the Outstanding Faculty Award in the Master of Science in Accounting Program.
In parallel with his academic career, Dick continued advising senior executives, family enterprises, and nonprofit organizations. He became a trusted advisor to prominent families, helping guide financial planning, governance structures, investment strategies, and long-term succession planning. His counsel has been valued not only for its technical depth but also for its practical application and thoughtful consideration of organizational and family dynamics.
Dick’s boardroom experience is extensive and highly distinguished. For more than three decades, he served on the Board of Directors of Tax Analysts, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization with approximately 200 full time employees dedicated to tax publishing and policy. During his tenure, he served as Chairman of the Board, Chairman of the Finance and Audit Committee, Chairman of the Governance Committee, and for a year, Acting President and Chief Executive Officer while the current President was dealing with health issues. His leadership helped guide the organization through periods of growth, industry change, and evolving governance requirements while maintaining a strong commitment to mission fulfillment and financial stewardship.
His governance experience extends to numerous other organizations, including the Metropolitan Club of Washington, where he currently serves on the Board of Governors and Finance Committee, and has served on the Executive Committee, and as Treasurer and Chairman of the Finance Committee. The Washington National Cathedral was severely damaged during an earthquake in 2011, sustaining over $50 million in uninsured damages. In 2012, Dick was asked by the chairman of the Cathedral governing board to join the finance committee to develop additional revenue programs. Working with the Cathedral Dean and the CEO, he identified and developed approximately 10 new sources of revenue, all of which have been implemented successfully raising the income significantly. He still serves on the Finance Committee of the Washington National Cathedral. He also previously served on the Board of Directors and as Treasurer and Chairman of the Finance Committee for the American Research Center in Egypt as well as on the Board of Directors of the American Taxation Association. These roles have allowed him to apply his expertise in financial oversight, strategic planning, governance, and organizational leadership across diverse sectors.
What distinguishes Dick most is his ability to synthesize decades of experience into practical guidance for organizations facing complex challenges. Whether addressing operational transformation, governance effectiveness, strategic growth, risk management, financial oversight, leadership development, or organizational culture, he brings a balanced perspective grounded in experience, judgment, and integrity. His career reflects an unwavering commitment to helping organizations achieve sustainable success while maintaining strong ethical foundations.
Today, Dick remains actively engaged in the business community and is pursuing board and advisory board opportunities where he can continue contributing his expertise, mentorship, and strategic insight. He views board service as an opportunity to help organizations navigate change, capitalize on emerging opportunities, strengthen governance practices, and create lasting value for stakeholders. Drawing on more than fifty years of leadership experience, he offers boards a unique combination of executive leadership, operational excellence, governance expertise, financial acumen, public policy insight, and global perspective.
Dick’s personal interests include reading, history, teaching, mentoring, public speaking, writing, fly fishing, golf, tennis and research. These pursuits reflect his lifelong curiosity, commitment to learning, and passion for helping others succeed. Guided by his personal motto, “Just Do It,” he continues to approach every opportunity with energy, purpose, and a dedication to making meaningful contributions.
Character:
Dick demonstrates unwavering integrity in every professional and personal endeavor he undertakes. He has built a reputation for ethical leadership, sound judgment, and accountability throughout more than fifty years of service. His commitment to mentorship, community involvement, and organizational stewardship reflects a deep sense of responsibility to others and a desire to leave every organization stronger than he found it.
Knowledge:
He possesses exceptional expertise in governance, finance, taxation, risk management, operations, and organizational leadership. His experience spans global corporations, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and advisory roles, providing him with a uniquely broad perspective. Through continuous learning, teaching, and professional engagement, he has remained at the forefront of evolving business practices and leadership challenges.
Strategic:
Dick consistently demonstrates the ability to anticipate future trends, evaluate risks, and develop effective long-term solutions. He has successfully led transformational initiatives, organizational turnarounds, technology implementations, and growth strategies throughout his career. His strategic mindset enables him to help boards and executive teams make informed decisions that balance opportunity, risk, and sustainable value creation.
Communication:
An accomplished communicator who has educated students, advised executives, presented to numerous national and global audiences, and led boardroom discussions throughout his career. His ability to translate complex issues into clear, actionable insights makes him an effective advisor and trusted leader. Whether mentoring individuals or addressing large audiences, he communicates with clarity, credibility, and purpose.
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