Rich Lester has spent the past 14 years in the veterinary industry, primarily working with veterinarians to ensure their financial success. After a few years as President of BrightHeart Veterinary Centers, Rich became the Founder of Veterinary Practice Partners (VPP) in 2011. VPP was the first group that exclusively focused on co-owning hospitals with local veterinarians, and as CEO, Rich grew it from a startup idea to a large organization with more than 65 hospital partnerships. In 2020, he stepped down as CEO and remained as an advisor. He’s now excited to join Ackerman Group in helping veterinarians secure their financial futures. Having spent over a decade as a practice buyer, Rich is extremely well-versed in the space and enjoys advising practice owners on the process of selling to corporate groups. Prior to the veterinary industry, Rich worked within the human healthcare sector in senior management. In particular, he spent much of this time at DaVita, a multi-site operator and consolidator of dialysis clinics. Rich has an MBA from UCLA and an undergraduate degree in Finance and American History from the University of Pennsylvania. He’s married to his wife, Rachel, and they have three children. He loves to ski, golf, and spend time with his family