Regulatory Advocacy / Food Safety Consultant
Richard T. Atkinson
Owner / Chief Operational Officer
Rich has 25 years of USDA regulatory experience in the meat, poultry, and egg products industry. This includes oversight of HACCP implementation, adherence to SSOP and labeling regulations, and assuring the humane handling of livestock for slaughter. Rich’s career launched with in-plant regulation serving as an Inspector in Southern California, then as an Enforcement Investigations and Analysis Officer, and Frontline Supervisor in Northern California. After transferring to Colorado, he transitioned to become an Investigator, and then Supervisory Investigator, within the Office of Investigation, Enforcement and Audit. During his tenure with OIEA he both conducted, and supervised, numerous surveillance activities, enforcement actions, recall actions, criminal investigations, and criminal prosecutions for the western region.
In 2015 he promoted to Deputy District Manager for the Denver District, managing the in-plant inspection activities conducted by a multi-disciplinary team. His team carried out regulatory inspection activities in approximately 300 meat, poultry, and egg, inspection establishments across several states and US territories. During a temporary assignment to FSIS’ Office of Public Health and Science Rich worked closely with epidemiologists from USDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on a complex Salmonella illness outbreak. Upon the successful conclusion of the investigation, and subsequent recall, he was recognized by the CDC with an honor award for his performance in leveraging a national salmonella outbreak investigation to improve poultry safety in the United States.
Rich has co-authored peer reviewed scientific articles, and has been published by the scientific journal, Foodborne Pathogens and Disease, regarding a salmonella foodborne illness investigation. https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/FPD.2017.2340
With his extensive technical expertise, and mastery of food safety regulations, Rich provides Praesidio Consulting with the expertise to help our clientele successfully navigate the regulatory process.
~ Veteran USMC and Veteran LEO Owned and Operated ~
Susan B. Atkinson
Owner / Chief Executive Officer
Susan's professional career began in the world of banking and finance in Southern California. Experience in commercial banking, and management in the private label credit card industry led to a tenure with a Trust Services Bank specializing in retirement pension investment accounts. She was responsible for the management, and fiduciary regulation, of the trust investment assets for over 250 employee benefit accounts with a combined value of $360M.
When Rich's burgeoning career relocated the family to Northern California Susan worked in conjunction with the local Police Department to develop, and manage, a Community Response Team for victims of Domestic Violence. She marketed and recruited for the upstart program, administered the federal funding grant, developed the policies and procedures, and trained over 30 volunteers whom she managed and developed. This project led to her employment as a Crime Analyst for the department, and then to her decision to become a sworn officer. During her tenure as a Law Enforcement Officer, she served as a School Resource Officer, Sexual Assault Investigator, Field Training Officer, Gang Information Officer; and was certified by the area courts as an Expert Witness for both Domestic Violence, and Gang Crime prosecutions. When Rich's USDA career moved them to Colorado, Susan transferred her POST certification to Colorado and continued her service in law enforcement until 2012 when she transferred to the private sector to manage private corporate security.
Susan is also HACCP certified and has extensive experience in project management and organizational administration. Her education, training, and experiences in the financial, legal, and corporate industries provide a solid, diversified, business management foundation to our company. Susan's public service, investigatory, and report writing skills partner seamlessly with Rich's extensive technical expertise in the food safety industry to make Praesidio Consulting your one-stop shop for regulatory compliance management.
