The Steering Cabinet is comprised of former PPS board members who have left the organization in good standing, whose terms have expired, and who wish to further the development of PPS.  Formed in the February of 2005, the Steering Cabinet allows PPS alumni to remain active with the group and to continue working on projects that went unfinished during their tenures.  For example, the PPS website was developed as Rick's contribution to PPS after he handed the reigns to the second Executive Board.

The aim of the Steering Cabinet is to provide guidance and support to the Executive Board often by acting as a sounding board for ideas, making introductions to new contacts, and providing a living history of the successes and failures that PPS has witnessed.  This group of devoted PPS alumni should allow for continuity within the PPS leadership as students leave the program.

RICHARD T. KIOK (richard@kiok.com) » FOUNDER AND CHAIR, 2003-04

Rick is the Founder and Chair Emeritus of PPS. He served as the first and only PPS Chair from 2003-04 before becoming the inaugural member of the Steering Committee.  Originally from the friendly farmlands of rural Michigan, he now considers himself to be a Philadelphian.  After completing his undergraduate work in Bioengineering, he stayed at Penn in order to complete the Master of Biotechnology program in 1999.  The effects of the extended stay in Philly are evident; he says things like "wooder" and can correctly pronounce the name of the river that separates Center City from West Philadelphia.  Can you?

Prior to returning to Penn for the post-bac program, Rick was a business consultant for both PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and Synygy, Inc. working with clients such as Major League Baseball, Merrill Lynch, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, and Schering-Plough developing data warehouses and calculating incentive compensation.  He is well known to be a die-hard fan of the Michigan Wolverines, Penn Quakers, and the Philadelphia Eagles.  In his spare time, he enjoys playing games such as Quizzo, Trivial Pursuit, and Poker with his friends; competing in sports such as basketball, football, and golf; and traveling to exotic lands.  Friendly and approachable, he is easily recognized by the distinctive angular haircut.  Stop him along Locust Walk or introduce yourself over a beer.

LEARN MORE ABOUT PPS

You can learn more about PPS by reading our history, constitution, and biographies of our Executive Board and Steering Cabinet.