Ep. 627 Education, Leadership and Impact: A Conversation with Francis Parkers CFO Mike Rinehart

Rancho Mesa’s Executive Vice President and Principal, Daniel Frazee, sat down recently with Francis Parker School’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.  The two also discuss the longtime partnership between Rancho Mesa and Francis Parker, regarded by many as San Diego’s premier traditional independent college-preparatory school.

Show Notes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe to Rancho Mesa's Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠, Francis Parker School

Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Daniel Frazee

Guest: Mike Rinehart

Editor: Megan Lockhart

Music: "Home" by JHS Pedals, “Breaking News Intro” by nem0production

© Copyright 2026. Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. All rights reserved.

Transcript

Daniel Frazee: You are listening to Rancho Mesa’s StudioOne™ podcast, where each week we break down complex insurance and safety topics to help your business thrive. 

Glad you could join us for another episode in our “Getting to Know” Series. 

I'm your host, Daniel Frazee. Today’s guest is a fellow San Diegan, Aztec for Life and highly respected Chief Financial Officer and Facilities Director from Francis Parker School, Mike Rinehart.

Mike, welcome to Studio One!

Mike Reinart: Thanks Daniel, really glad to be hear and looking forward to the conversation

DF: Great so, I know bits and pieces of your background but walk the listeners through your family history, where you were raised, high school days, and leading to college.

MR: Sure, so I was born in Bloomington, Indiana, but as you mentioned, mostly raised here in San Diego. My father was a longtime professor at San Diego State University, and one fun fact is my mother actually helped finance my father's education serving as an elementary school teacher. So somewhere in the genes, both with my father being an educator and my mom being an educator, I was destined to be at a school at some point in my career. So in addition to growing up in San Diego, we did spend a couple of years in the Netherlands where my father served on the research team of a Nobel Prize winning geneticist and where I actually attended preschool at an all Dutch speaking school, so sadly, my Dutch has long evaporated, so I'm no longer fluent. But after we returned to the U.S., we settled in the neighborhood of Del Cerro near San Diego State University. Growing up, I was really into team sports, playing anything and everything I could, but really mostly focused on football and baseball. Had the opportunity to play both in high school. And as you said, I attended and graduated from San Diego State, but I also had an opportunity to play football there. I was, you know, by no means a superstar, mostly contributing on special teams. But I really think that my experience in sports really shaped me both personally and professionally and had one of the most positive impacts on my own self.

DF: Division one football is quite impressive. So at whatever level you're playing, that's a very fun fact, so I appreciate you sharing that. So let's kind of talk now about, you know, kind of the next steps of your life, if you will. Let's say post-college professionally,  but let's start with personally, because you have a wonderful wife and children. How did that relationship happen? You know, talk about your kids and that right now.

MR: Yeah, absolutely. Always something I love to talk about. Well, so speaking of my family, so my wife and I will be celebrating our 40th anniversary next year. And we have two wonderful children, Ross, who's an attorney, but really found his passion is for instructing and developing content for LSAT test prep companies. And my daughter, Nicole. who is now entering her 12th year as an elementary school teacher. We also have two grandchildren, Carson, who will be five in July, and Tatum, who just turned three a couple of weeks ago. And really, I can honestly say being a grandparent is as good, if not better, than advertised.

DF:  Fantastic. Well, I've had a chance to meet your wife and a special person, very special. Congratulations on 40 years, that’s an awesome run and probably a blessing to say you've got kids and now grandkids, right?

MR: 100%. The 40 years speaks more to my wife than to me, for sure.

DF: Right, always the stronger side. Yeah, that's perfectly fine. So then let's talk about your professional background. So you've graduated from San Diego State, and what does it look like ahead of you? And maybe walk us through the different opportunities you've had.

MR: Yeah, absolutely. So I actually, looking back, sort of think of my career as being somewhat eclectic. So I started out after graduating from San Diego State as a financial analyst at a local defense contractor, but I quickly realized that was not the career path for me. And so I then had the opportunity to join a Fortune 50 company that made including, if anyone remembers, mainframe computers that back in the day used to provide all the back-end operations for banks and other large enterprises. And so at that company, I actually had exposure to a lot of things and the opportunity to work in a number of locations, including here in San Diego. on the East Coast, in an area outside of Philadelphia, and then ultimately in Silicon Valley. So after about seven years, I had the opportunity to return to San Diego from Silicon Valley and join a telecommunications company as its controller, where during that tenure, we spun off one of the company's divisions into its own standalone company. And through that spinoff, I actually the opportunity via my involvement in the spinoff to join as that new standalone company's CFO. And so I spent about 10 years there helping to grow that business and eventually was acquired by another company. But it was such a fantastic learning experience for me, I even had the opportunity to work for a year or two running. the Asia Pacific sales team and support team for that organization. So really, you know, like I said, eclectic, but something I feel like just added more knowledge and understanding, you know, not just in finance, but across all business operations to my skill set.

DF:  And then at that some point... You began, you kind of shifted and created the connection to Parker. Am I correct?

MR: Yeah, so kind of the interesting there is, you know, after that company was acquired, I was having a conversation with the CEO who I deeply admire and respect and kind of just one of those casual conversations where he said, hey, what would be your dream job? And through that conversation, I said, oh, you know, someday maybe I would hope to be a high school teacher and coach football. And that was really the end of the conversation other than a few years later, he reached out to me and said, hey, this isn't a high school teaching position or a coaching opportunity, but there is an opportunity at Francis Parker School if you're interested. And this person, whose name is Bill Ingram, had been very involved along with his wife at Francis Parker School. His children attended there, and both he and his wife, Julia, had served in many capacities, including as trustees at the school. Through that kind of introduction, connected with Kevin Yaley, the head of school, and lo and behold, I had the opportunity to join and feel so fortunate that I did because it's been a wonderful, wonderful experience.

In fact, I thought when I joined in 2011, for the next five years, I was super happy and thought I'd be there for the duration of my career. It just turned out that through that same... connection bill, there was an opportunity up in Seattle, Washington to join a really remarkable company that was on the cusp of going through its initial public offering. And for somebody who's spent most of my career kind of in financial roles, one of the things I was always hoping to do as part of my career bucket list was to be part of a team that took a company through its initial public offering. And so it was one of those things that was too good to pass up. My wife and I moved to Seattle, the company went through a successful IPO, and while we were there, quadrupled its business. So really a great opportunity and one that, although we always knew we would return to San Diego, was one of the highlights of my career. But upon returning to San Diego, I... never, ever thought I would wind up at Francis Parker School again, except maybe as a grandparent, I was hoping. But lo and behold, an opportunity emerged. And I've been back in a similar role that I had when I was there from 2011 to 2016.

DF: So two stints, 11 to 16. And then when did you restart?

MR: From 2023 to current. So it's been great. And so, so happy to be back. In fact, one of the things my family says is I've always seemed the happiest, most fulfilled working at Francis Parker School.

DF: I don't know if you remember this, but I remember you and I had lunch in Mission Valley at King's Fish House, and I think you had gotten back from Seattle. But at that point, it wasn't determined what you were going to do. And I think I just reached out and we were talking. And I think it was months later where it was, hey, I'm actually coming back to Francis Parker.

MR: That is.. You got that perfect. That is exactly what happened.

DF: What a perfect fit. And I don't think you were expecting that. It just didn't seem like it.

MR: I was not expecting it. Like I said, I hoped someday that I would have a role at Francis Parker School as a grandparent, but never back in an employment capacity. But I truly feel fortunate. I'm so blessed to be part of Francis Parker School.

DF: And you may have said this on air or off air, so forgive me, but now you have a grandson at the school.

MR: Yeah, so sort of, you know, one of those full circle moments where you hope something would happen one day, but then to actually see it realized. And by that, I mean, you know, having my oldest grandchild, Carson, joined Francis Parker School this year and be part of what we call the junior kindergarten program there for four and five-year-olds. And he'll be completing his first year in a couple weeks. So I'm thrilled and hope my younger grandchild, Tatum, will also have the same opportunity.

DF: That's fantastic. And I met him because we were doing a walkthrough on the lower school campus and we saw him and then he saw you and came running into your arms. It was fantastic. It was great.

MR: It is great.

DF: And, you know, kind of off script here, probably a good opportunity to share with listeners briefly, you know, the history of the school and what you know about it up to this point.

MR: Oh, sure. So Francis Parker School, first and foremost, has been around since 1912. So it's one of the oldest and now largest independent schools in San Diego and it’s you know, certainly respected and well-known for its academic rigor. But beyond that, Francis Parker School is really one that strives to, as its namesake, Colonel Francis Parker said, develop the whole child. And so not only does the school focus on academics, focuses on social-emotional well-being, and just developing really kind, caring, and compassionate students. And so one of the things that was probably the most impactful on me after I first joined Francis Parker School is interacting with its students. As you might imagine, my role doesn't involve like a teacher, a daily interaction with students. But when I had that opportunity, I always walked away so impressed that the students were not only smart and ambitious, but they were also kind and caring and unselfish. And I was like, that's what when I said I had this dream of one day, perhaps my grandchildren attending there, it was all rooted in my interactions with the students. And so the opportunity to just play a small part in advancing the school's mission is something that really is fulfilling for me and also one of just a labor of love almost.

DF: Thank you, thanks for sharing that. I think you summarized that well. And then now let's kind of talk about your role, obviously. It involves the school's finances, other things, but talk about what you do for the school so that the listeners can understand that role.

MR: Perfect, yeah. So in my role at Francis Parker School, I'm entrusted with overseeing the school's finances and operations. And so practically speaking, this means that I manage our finance, accounting, purchasing, and human resources teams, something that we refer to as the business office at an independent school. In addition, I also manage various operations of the school, including campus safety and security, facilities, food services, and transportation. And maybe for some listeners, that might sound like a strange combination of responsibilities, but I think at a school like Parker, that combination really makes sense in the sense that all the functions are really interconnected. and really are focused on two key things, safety and sustainability. And so that's what I really feel like at the end of the day, my role is safety and sustainability. And thankfully, you know, we have both internal teams that are super talented and committed to both of those functions, as well as really an ecosystem of partners, including Rancho Mesa, that we rely on for their expertise to supplement our internal teams.

DF: Thank you, so let's talk about some of the challenges that your team faces managing the various types of risk at the school. Obviously, that risk is a part, as you said, of your day-to-day operations, campus security, that type of exposure, if you will. But talk about that a little bit.

MR: Yeah, of course. So in my estimation, the risk profile of a school is almost like that of a small city. to Francis Parker School as a community. And so from a risk standpoint, this means that in addition to all the other risks that most enterprises face, we have a number of other risks somewhat unique to schools. And so, for example, we operate, as you know, Daniel, a large bus fleet that serves over 90-plus zip codes across San Diego County. As you also know, we have a really robust global study program in which we send hundreds of students to more than a dozen different international locations each and every year. And then we also have a really strong and diverse sports program in which we have all of the traditional sports sanctioned by the California Interscholastic Federation, or CIF. But in addition to that, we have some unique sports like surfing and sailing that have their own set of risk. So the last thing I would say is, you know, as you know, a school almost operates on a 7 by 24 by 365 basis. And so we've got this huge responsibility to ensure that our students and the entire community are safe and everyone's accounted for while they're on campus. And so I would overall just characterize the school and its risks as being, very broad and very complex.

DF: That's a good description, and I think everything you've said is a good summary, although there are even more that you're not sharing. So we go back several years. I think I would just say that it has been an honor to be a part of the team, one of those vendors or resources. in helping the school manage risk. Can you talk and share with the listeners your perspective on that partnership with Rancho Mesa and anything that kind of aligns in your mind?

MR: Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, first, let me say how much we value our partnership with Rancho Mesa and with you specifically. You know, one of the things for me is I often think in the business world, we overuse the term partnership when in reality, many of those Business relationships are more transactional. And so I would even say for most of my career with insurance companies I've worked with, like Rancho Mesa, those relationships have felt somewhat transactional. You know, our broker would reach out during the renewal period. We'd go through the renewal process, and often I wouldn't hear from the broker until the next renewal. And so what I can honestly say with Rancho Mesa is you have acted as a partner and that’s  so critical, as you know, in having somebody we can rely on on a year-round basis to help us manage all the risks we just talked about and even the ones we didn't talk about because there are so many. So it is truly essential and I will, again, I'm not just blowing smoke for the listeners. I genuinely believe this. It would be impossible for us to effectively manage. all the risks the school faces without really committed and longtime partners like Rancho Mesa.

DF: Thank you, that means a lot. And I think we are, again, just fortunate to be along for the ride. And as an alumnus of the school, it's particularly full circle for me to be doing this podcast and interview with you and getting a chance to see the school grow through the years and become what it is. And frankly, I think the school, uh draws people like like you and others uh because it is such a special place and there are good people there and uh I always hear the word outcomes uh you know where people are attending school and what have you but really the outcomes are the people and the students I think make the school but then everybody around it it's um it's such a special place to be every time I’m on campus now it's uh I look forward to it.

MR: I wholeheartedly agree. And I certainly have so much admiration and respect for our head of school, Kevin Yaley. He's done a wonderful job just leading the school through for the last 16 plus year. And I think the entire community is so committed. Really, one of our mottos is students first, and I think it's something that all of our faculty, staff, and the entire community really lives.

DF: Excellent, and I would agree. So last thought, I wanted to give you the opportunity to talk about horizons at Francis Parker School, something that I'm aware of that maybe listeners do not know about.

MR: Yeah, well, first of all, you're absolutely right about the Horizon program. It's really near and dear to me as it is to the entire Francis Parker community. So in a nutshell, Horizons is an award-winning, tuition-free academic and enrichment program serving students facing educational inequalities in San Diego. So Horizons provides students with high-quality programs outside the traditional school year, so mostly in the summer, to support. academic achievement and development. The Horizon Program at Francis Parker School was launched back in 2021 really to address what I consider to be an alarming disparity between low-income youth and their more affluent peers. So specifically, what research has found that children from low-income families often experience what's called summer learning loss, falling behind on reading and mathematics skills over the summer break. really as a result of limited access to high-quality summer programs. So this is the mission of Horizons, is to address that. And fast forward to now, Horizons serves more than 75 students at both of our campuses during the summer, providing students with, for example, 60 hours of literacy and math instruction, more than 45 hours of STEAM electives, and a bunch of other things, including swim instruction. So I think the academic... of this program is remarkable. It's measured on improvement in test scores. And gosh, when I talked about award winning, the fact that the test scores and the improvements that happen from those students who joined this program are truly remarkable and just inspiring. So I would... a shameless plug in to encourage listeners to check out horizonsandiego.org is the website if they're interested. As I mentioned, Horizons is tuition-free, so it relies 100% on the generosity of the community to provide the funding that's necessary to offer this really impactful program.

DF: Thank you, that's really helpful to hear the background to it and what it is now and what it's becoming, right? It's continuing to grow and more and more students are getting these opportunities.

MR: Right.

DF: Well, that has wrapped up our time together. And so I want to thank you for coming into Studio One. Appreciate you sharing with the listeners your background, both professionally, personally, how you got to where you are now. And as I said before, it is really an honor and a privilege to work with and for everyone at Francis Parker School. And thanks for making time.

MR: Yeah, really enjoyed our conversation, Daniel. And it's an honor and privilege to work with you and Rancho Mesa Insurance.

DF: Thank you. Thanks everyone for tuning in to our latest episode produced by StudioOne™. If you enjoyed what you heard, please share the episode and subscribe. For more insights like this, visit us at RanchoMesa.com and subscribe to our weekly newsletter.