About me
Erin is the third generation of her family to serve credit unions at Richards & Associates, CPAs. Her career with the firm began at 15, when she worked part-time to save for her first car, and she continued working there throughout college. Erin holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology/Administrative Studies from the University of California, Riverside, and a Master’s degree from National University. After an 11-year tenure in public education, Erin’s passion for finance led her back to the credit union industry.
Now, as the Director of Consulting Services at Richards & Associates, Erin specializes in strategic planning, merger services, executive searches, and forensic audits. She also serves as a lead on the firm’s Opinion Audit team. With a strong background in both education and finance, Erin brings a unique perspective to her work, helping credit unions thrive in an ever-changing environment.
Richards & Associates was originally established in the field of credit union auditing, we now offer the following services to our clients:
• Internal Control Audit programs
• Strategic planning facilitation
• Fraud audits and bond claim investigations
• Expert witness testimony regarding credit union matters
• Supervision of annual election process
• Executive search assistance
Richards & Associates was founded in 1967 by two former NCUA examiners and throughout the years has provided professional services to hundreds of credit unions. In 1968, members of the firm were instrumental in the formation of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU), now one of the two largest national trade associations representing credit unions. This newly formed trade association spearheaded the effort to obtain federal share insurance for credit union members. A partner of the firm was included in a select group of individuals, who actually testified before the United States Congress to enact legislation providing deposit insurance. This successful legislation paved the way for the creation of the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF), which is the envy of the financial industry.
During the early 1970s, William D. Richards, co-founder of the firm, developed a single signature loan system that completely revolutionized lending in credit unions. Utilizing the legal background of our professional staff, we created a lending system that enabled credit union members to request loans over the telephone and receive funds in the mail, without having to visit the office. It was the forerunner of current loan systems being marketed and installed in hundreds of credit unions throughout the nation. So unique was this concept that NCUA examiners commonly referred to the endorsement signature lending programs as "Richards'-type Loan Systems."
