Dear Tax School Family,
Today, it is both an honor and a bittersweet moment for us as we bid farewell to a true icon in the Tax School world. After an incredible 40+ years as a Tax School instructor, our friend Rich Walden is stepping into a well-deserved retirement from teaching. His impact on our program, and the countless professionals he has influenced over the years, is immeasurable.
Rich has been an integral part of our team since he started teaching regularly for the program back in 1982. Throughout four decades, he has imparted knowledge and humor to tens of thousands of you!
As an instructor, Rich went beyond textbooks and lectures. He shared practical insights, real-world experiences, and a deep understanding of the ever-evolving landscape of tax regulations. He had an ability to make complex concepts understandable and a genuine desire to ensure learners understood just what the heck he was talking about. Rich was also a master at using humor and storytelling to drive his points home.
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Rich for the past nine years and I’m incredibly grateful for all he’s done to help make the University of Illinois Tax School the best tax continuing education program out there. I’m very glad to share that Rich will remain part of the team that helps to review and shape future Federal Tax Workbooks, so you’ll still be able to feel his presence… just from behind the scenes instead of center stage.
To celebrate Rich’s retirement, we invite you all to share your memories, well-wishes, and anecdotes in the comments section below or on the private Tax School Facebook group. Let’s come together as a community to express our gratitude and appreciation for a colleague who has helped us learn a lot through the years.
Thank you, Rich. For everything.
Sincerely,
Gina Marsh
Director
University of Illinois Tax School
We’d also like to share a 12 minute video we captured (see below) of Rich’s farewell comments at his last Fall Tax School in Champaign this November.
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