Ask anyone who knows him and you'll quickly realize that Richard Parker was destined for success. His first business venture found him to be the youngest licensed broker in the history of the Lakeland Real Estate Board.

During these early years, Richard also joined the United States Jaycees, serving as a state officer for Florida. Not only was he named "Outstanding Jaycee in America," but he tied for 1st place nationally in the organization's formal speaking competition, "Speak-Up." These Jaycee experiences formed a solid foundation upon which Richard was invited to speak at the Positive Thinking Rallies, where he shared the stage with Zig Ziglar, Art Linkletter and Dr. Norman Vincent Peal.

In 1986, Richard turned his focus to the financial services industry. First, he joined one of the nation's largest Wall Street firms. His initial success enabled him to then become the branch manager of a well-known regional company, where he quickly became their second highest producer. Always one to seek out the next challenge, Richard, a million-dollar producer, formed his own NASD member broker-dealer and took it public.

A decade of diverse financial experience has propelled Richard into a successful career as a top financial industry speaker, trainer, author and coach. He is currently the President and CEO of Educational Seminars of America, a leading provider of proven practice-building solutions for financial professionals.

Richard's speaking schedule regularly takes him all across America and around the world. From local area church groups to regional broker meetings, from vendor sales events to national conferences, and from corporate keynotes to international engagements. Always motivational, always humorous, and always a hit with his audience, Richard's expertise covers the wide range of financial industry topics.

To date, Richard has authored two uniquely successful national seminar systems, and four books. The seminars include Bible-Based Money Management, taught in churches, and Family Wealth Strategies, a public-corporate seminar taught in colleges, universities and corporations. Both systems enable financial professionals to reach and teach many motivated prospects, while they become known as a top financial expert in their community.

During the past two decades, Richard has trained thousands of advisors throughout the country, teaching them the tips, tools and techniques to cost-effectively turn their financial services business into "The Perfect Practice."

Richard's writing includes two industry books, The Perfect Practice, a study guide for advisors, Lifetime Financial Strategies to help America's families better manage their money, plus Cuba -- The Story of Revival, written to raise money to build churches across Cuba in memory of his grandson Josh, and The Tunnel of Time, a children's book, co-authored with his 10-year-old granddaughter, Brittney.

Richard attributes his success to his willingness to "get right down in the trenches" and to learn the lessons life has to teach. According to Richard, "Over the years, I've made and learned from every mistake in the book, so I can help others to learn what to do, and not do, for mere pennies on the mistake dollar."

A fifth generation Floridian, Richard and wife, Joan have two married sons: Wayne and his wife, Melissa, parents of McKenna; and Shane and his wife, Gale, parents of Brittney and Beau.