Industry News
Education, Leadership and Impact: A Conversation with Francis Parkers CFO Mike Rinehart
Author, Daniel Frazee, Executive Vice President, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
General engineering contractors deal with a myriad of risks on a daily basis. Even though these risks are typically few in frequency, they are high in severity. This means the claim is going to be significant and could ultimately impact your company’s financial and reputational standing within the industry. Too many times I have seen contractors only focus on the claim after it happens, which is reactive. I recommend taking a proactive approach and have your foreman and project managers focus on the near misses.
Author, Daniel Frazee, Executive Vice President, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
I recently sat down with Francis Parker School (FPS)’s Head of Operations/CFO Mike Rinehart to learn more about his background growing up in San Diego, the many facets to his impressive career in finance, and what is now his second “chapter” back at Francis Parker. We discussed the partnership between Rancho Mesa and Francis Parker, a long-time client and regarded by many as San Diego’s premier traditional independent college-preparatory school.
Mike was fortunate enough to spend some of his early years in the Netherlands where his father was working on a research team. There, Mike attended an all Dutch speaking school before his family moved back to San Diego. Raised in the suburb of Del Cerro, Mike was all things sports all the time. Attending Patrick Henry High School, he narrowed that focus to football and baseball. Sports helped shape him in many ways and he continued that competitive spirit in college where he played football for San Diego State University (SDSU).
After graduating from SDSU, Mike embarked on an eclectic background initially as a financial analyst for a defense contractor. He then worked for 7 years at a Fortune 50 mainframe computer company that provided exposure to many roles in cities across the country, ending in Silicon Valley. He then became a controller at a Telecommunications company that later was spun off into a new entity. Mike was then given the opportunity to run the Asia Pacific sales team, broadening his expertise.
Mike was originally introduced to FPS through former parent and Board Member, Bill Ingram. Mike’s first stint as Chief Financial Officer at FPS ran from 2011-2016. He was then offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to join a company started by Bill Ingram in Seattle, WA that was attempting an initial public offering. Mike took that opportunity, leaving FPS in 2016 and was a critical piece to quadrupling revenues and successfully taking that firm public. Returning to San Diego in 2023, FPS called him back again where he assumed a new role as the Head of Operations/CFO.
Throughout our discussion, Mike shared just how important his family is to him, celebrating 40 years of marriage, and his two children and two grandchildren. He also shared specifics of his role at FPS, the many challenges he faces in managing risk and how Rancho Mesa has remained a trusted partner in that process.