Rich Laffin received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, served in the Peace Corps (Morocco), and later earned his Master of Architecture degree from the University of Minnesota.

Rich has been registered as an architect in the state of Minnesota since 1986 and is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).  He is a Minnesota Greenstar Associate (www.mngreenstar.org); has been a juror for both BATC and NARI competitions; was a member of the AIA-Saint Paul Board of Directors; was Chair of the AIA-Minnesota RAVE Awards; is the current Chair of the Saint Paul Heritage Preservation Commission; and more recently served as a member of the selection panel for $1.25 million of public artwork for the recently-reopened Saint Paul Union Depot.

He and his wife have two grown children.