Before creating the VSA Service, Richie worked in various sales and marketing roles for 14 years in the marketplace. After experiencing success in that field, Richie and his family moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, to help plant a North Point Church partnership in 2007. He served for six years as the Executive Director and led fundraising campaigns to help launch and fund the church. After stepping away from ministry for over a year, God called him and his family back to serve at a local church. In 2014, they relocated to Dothan, Alabama, where Richie served as the Executive Director for over five years, leading the church’s Stewardship Team. In 2019, Richie sensed God’s prompting to step away from his day-to-day role at the church and take his business and ministry experiences to serve other churches/non-profits.
Sanford obtained his B.B.A. in accounting in 1980, became a Certified Public Accountant in 1983, and earned an M.B.A. from Duke University in 1986. Following graduate school, he co-founded and served as principal in two successful telecom businesses, one of which, in 1995, was named to the Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America list. Sanford was also a co-founder and investor in Seraphim Partners, an Atlanta-based angel investment fund. Sanford's extensive experience in finance and entrepreneurship has made him a sought-after advisor in the business community.
