Business People Vermont December 2009 : Page 13the government press agency, Novosti, and Rich Frontier Publishing, the maga- zine was reborn as Russian Life. In hindsight, it seems like destiny that Richardson ended up owning the publication. He was born in San Pedro, Calif., and grew up in Laguna Beach. Planning to study journalism, he met a recruiter for Central College in Pella, Iowa, which offered him a Rolscreen Scholarship funded by the company that makes Pella windows — “an offer I couldn’t refuse,” he says, laughing. He spent summers working for his father’s printing business in Santa Ana, Calif., running the presses and selling printing. Central College had an exchange program in Carmarthen, Wales, says Richardson. “This extraordinary profes- sor named Malcolm Gilbert did a year- long Soviet studies, which culminated in a trip to the Soviet Union. It was at that time very exotic, and I got bitten by the bug.” The bug of love also bit him at Central College when he met Stephanie Ratmeyer, whom he married in 1986. Heenteredgraduateschool at Indiana University at Bloomington, which had a strong Russian program, where he earned his master’s degree in political science and a certificate in Russian area studies. “I finished most of my Ph.D.,” he says, “although I was just using it to get support for language study.” Following graduation, Richardson found a Canadian company — Phargo, based in Toronto—thatwas setting up a joint venture inMoscowto open up print shops. “Thatwas a big thing then. It used to be printing presses were under lock and key. I called the company and said, ‘You have to send me over there.’” His background and training paid off and, in 1989, hewas hired to run the ven- ture and headed to Moscow. Stephanie followed a few months later. “There weren’t many American businesses there,” he says. “This was a Canadian- Soviet joint venture, so we were over there when the wall came down.” Part of Richardson’s job was open- ing bookstores in hotels. One day, he met an American — David Kelley, a lawyer fromMontpelier—with his own joint venture doing screen printing on T-shirts—setting up a shop right next to his. “He had set up Project Harmony in Vermont,” says Richardson. “We became good friends, and after a few months, we wrote the Moscow Business Survival Guide.” This later morphed into the Russia Business Survival Guide and spun off the Burlington Very well-established restaurant for sale. Approximately 3,000 SF in extremely desirable area. Take over current lease and existing equipment. Asking $150,000 for all equipment and lease. Current lease: $6,598/month. Photo is not a depiction of actual restaurant or food. Williston Taft Farm Village Center. Up to 6,500 SF of office and retail available in several suites. Great road frontage and plenty of parking. Lease rates vary. Call or e-mail for details. Williston 151 Blair Park Road 15,590± SF flex space with amazing potential. 2.59-acre lot with tons of parking and landscaped grounds. Many uses permitted. Unbelievable new lease rate of $7.00/SF NNN. 203 Cornerstone Drive Williston, VT 05495 phone: 872.9392 fax: 863.4349 nsenecal@omegarealtyvt.com www.omegarealtyvt.com CCV cult hits Where in Moscow and Where in St. Petersburg. By the end of 1990, they wanted to return to the States, Richardson says, “and Vermont sounded like a nice place to come. We kind of co-located with Project Harmony the first year.” Partners from the outset, they had set up a company called Soviet Information Services in March 1990 and were con- sulting, Richardson says. “We helped set up some trade groups and did some work together with the Sister State Association, facilitating exchanges and such.” By 1992, the year the Soviet Union fell apart, Richardson realized he wanted to focus on publishing, and Kelley returned to practicing law. Richardson renamed the company Russian Information Services and incorporated it. “We published books,” he says, “and soon thereafter maps and newsletters.” RIS became the distributor of the Moscow Times International Edition outside of Russia, and for eight years, from 1993 to 2001, had a catalog business called Access Russia. “We would review all the books and items related to Russia and sell them to the same people who sub- scribed to the magazine.” In 1995, the opportunity arose to purchase the rights to Russian Life. “I EXPAND YOUR OPTIONS • Convenient day, evening and online classes • Career-focused associate degrees & certificates • Ask about our Career Readiness Certificate, which can help raise the skill levels of your employees • Earn credit for prior learning. Find out more at a free info session on Tue, Jan 11, 5:30 pm • Ask about our new Emergency Management and Tourism/Hospitality degree programs REGISTER NOW THROUGH JAN 15 Burlington• 865-4422 • www.ccv.edu 12 locations in Vermont & online BUSINESS PEOPLE–VERMONT • DECEMBER 2009 13 Publication List |
