When Rick Houck retired as a Rear Admiral with the United States Coast Guard, he and his wife Lani settled in Hawaii, her native state, and built what they thought would be their “forever home.” Having moved 16 times, they did not think they would ever move again. But when first visiting Brevard, they bought land on a mountain looking out on the Blue Ridge Mountains and now say, “Why vacation? This is heaven.”
Originally from the Chicago suburbs, Rick earned a BS degree in nuclear engineering and naval architecture from the Coast Guard Academy, an MBA from Pepperdine University and a master’s in Mechanical Engineering from the Naval Post Graduate School. He served in Coast Guard afloat and ashore engineering and management positions including three start-up units. As an Admiral, he served as the Coast Guard’s CFO and Commander of the Coast Guard in the Pacific Northwest. His career was about “building new organizations,” having led several significant reorganizations during his tenure.
Rick has contributed to each of the communities in which he’s lived, working with the Red Cross, United Way, Nature Conservancy, local Chambers of Commerce, symphonies and festivals, among others. Naturally, he sought out community service opportunities soon after arriving in Brevard in the spring of 2018.
Rick Houck now volunteers with the Transylvania Animal Shelter, Friends of Dupont Forest, Brevard Music Center, and mountain bike clubs. In his free time, Rick enjoys woodworking, mountain biking, and travel. “Muddy Sneakers has the opportunity to build on past successes and expand its service delivery – both geographically and with new programs. Being able to influence 5th graders offers a way to help them with positive development and preclude negative future outcomes.”
