Rick Daniel, PE MBA
Senior Staff Engineer
Master of Business Administration, Rollins College, 2006
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, US Naval Academy, 1978
Virginia Professional Engineer #14588
Naval Nuclear Power School, 1980
Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer
Microsoft Certified Solution Developer
Microsoft Solution Provider
Visual Basic Insiders Technical Summit

In 1989, Rick came to Birket Engineering as an engineering manager. He carried out a principle role in the ET Goodbye project and varying roles of oversight and participation in other projects including Jawsä, Earthquakeä, Turbo Tour Theater, Epic Stunt Spectacular, Superstar Theater, and Animal Actors Stageä. After the completion of the Universal Studios projects, Rick turned his focus to a number of software projects. These projects included several large scale Client/Server database projects automating major business functions at a major chain of financial institutions in the southeast United States. More recently, Rick was responsible for the flying automation software for the 2005 Broadway opening of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

In the areas of industrial control, Rick wrote the PC control software for the Sea World Nautilus rigging control system and the Palm Beach County Courthouse security system extending his expertise in real time control using Windows family operating systems and standard industrial control hardware.

Rick started his career as a naval officer and soon became a Lieutenant Commander trained in nuclear propulsion and submarine operations. He was the Navy's Operational Test Director for new submarine command, control, and weapon systems. 

Upon leaving the Navy, Rick assumed the position of Lead Electrical Engineer and was later promoted to Project Engineer at Perry Offshore where he was involved in all phases of design, manufacture, and testing of tethered and free swimming underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs). This work included engineering and project responsibility for all aspects of vehicle design and manufacture including electronics, control systems, video, navigation, structural, mechanical, and hydrodynamic aspects.