Rick Helms is the Budget Director for the Highlands County Board of County Commissioners , and has served in this capacity for thirteen years. He has worked for the board for 16 years and before that, worked for the Clerk of Courts for 15 years.

As Director of the Budget Office, Rick is charged with presenting a balanced budget to the county commission each year. Additionally, he oversees the Non Ad Valorem Assessment Office. The OMB Office, under Rick’s leadership, has received the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association nine years running. The Department has also won the Meritorious Award for Public budgets under the Computer Media Category from the National Association of County Information Officers for creating and executing the first budget CD for Highlands County . Rick is a certified Government Finance Officer as well as a certified Government Financial Manager.

He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida Government Finance Officers Association, and he is the past president of the Heartland Chapter of the FGFOA. He is a member of the Association of Government Accountants, and a native Floridian. In fact, Rick was born and raised right here in Highlands County . He is a graduate of Avon Park High School and later graduated from South Florida Community College before attending Webber International where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Rick has two sons and he lives in Avon Park with his wife Carolyn.