Rich was raised on the Winkler Ranch near Rodeo where he helped his parents on the ranch and in the Portal Cafe, Store and Post Office, which they also owned.  Rich has been a firefighter and a school teacher and coach at Animas High School.  He and his wife, Tamara, live and work on the Triple Mountain Ranch and help out on his parents' ranch as well. Rich served as one of the past Malpai Borderlands Group Executive Directors.