Instructor Bios

Richard T. DeJohn, MCSE, PMP, MIT

Rick DeJohn works with Becker Professional Education to deliver Management Advisory Services continuing professional education courses to accounting and finance professionals. Rick currently is a Curriculum Consultant and Adjunct Project Management Instructor at DeVry University and also serves as an Adjunct Project Management Instructor at Harper College. Rick is the author of an instructional guide to teaching PMP Certification and is also the creator of a comprehensive database for PMP Review.

Rick has extensive national experience as an IT consultant, network engineer, and project manager. Before founding his consulting company, Camus Consulting, he was a partner in Idea2Group, a web design and consulting firm with a specialization in Project Management. He has also been a Vice President at MicroTrain, engaged in training, curriculum development and sales, and has held the Electronics Department Chair at the New England Technical Institute. Rick has earned Certified Training Credentials with both Microsoft and Cisco. He holds degrees in Computer Networking and Electronics and has earned bachelor’s degrees from Rockford College and Arizona State University. Rick has also attained a Masters Degree in Information Technology from American Intercontinental University.

Charles Edward Falk, CPA, JD

Charles Edward Falk collaborates with Becker Professional Education to develop and deliver continuing professional education courses for the tax professional.  Charles is a lawyer, certified public accountant and a university professor.  He advises U.S. and International law and accounting firms, and trust companies on domestic and international tax and other legal related matters.  His international practice includes both inbound and outbound transactions to and from the United States.  This includes structuring commercial transactions, gift and estate planning for U.S. and non-resident aliens, U.S. beneficiaries of foreign trusts and asset protection planning.  His domestic practice includes business formations, business reorganizations, taxation of financial instruments and securities, bankruptcy taxation, transfer tax planning, tax litigation and other IRS related matters.  

Mr. Falk holds three LLM degrees from the New York University: Taxation; Corporation Law (bankruptcy and securities law); and Trade Regulation (intellectual property and antitrust law).  He is the author of several books on taxation, including two Tax Management Portfolios, is a frequent contributor to professional journals and is a speaker at tax and related conferences in the United States and abroad.  He has taught at Rutgers University, Seton Hall University and Farleigh Dickinson University.

Timothy F. Gearty, CPA, MBA, JD 

Tim Gearty is the National Director and Editor-in-Chief for the world's largest CPA review program, Becker Professional Education CPA Exam Review. In addition to his editorial leadership, Tim is also Becker's National Lead Instructor, whose taped lectures are seen in over 325 locations throughout the world.

Tim is a nationally recognized expert and speaker on a variety of accounting and tax topics, and has appeared as keynote speaker for several Fortune 100 companies as well as many national associations. He has frequently been called upon over the past twenty years to present accounting and tax topics to large groups, organizations, and corporations, accounting firms and in legal proceedings.

Tim is a partner in Gearty & McIntyre, LLP, CPA, a firm which has developed a reputation as a specialist in business advisory services, litigation support and forensic accounting. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New Jersey Society of Public Accountants as well as a trustee of that organization. He holds a BS in Accounting from Fairleigh Dickinson University, and both a MBA in Finance and Law Degree (JD) from Seton Hall University. Tim is a member of the New Jersey and American Bar Associations.

Ben Jones, CPA, CFA, MBA

Ben Jones exemplifies his belief that the CPA credential is, in his words, a “passport to anywhere.” His career has literally taken him around the world and given him a broad international perspective on business.

As a CPA, he began his career managing client audit work and doing tax consulting for Ernst and Young. He then went on to serve as an international auditor in more than 20 countries for the Tupperware Corporation. Later, as senior financial analyst for that company’s European region, he won significant acclaim for his successful efforts in revitalizing the United Kingdom and Irish markets.

While working in Europe, Jones earned his MBA from the University of Chicago’s Executive International Program in Barcelona, Spain. He was awarded his CFA charter in 2007. He teaches live classes for CPA review in the Chicago area. Jones also serves as Vice President Field Sales & Operations for Becker Professional Education, managing the company’s US operations.

John Lord, CPA

John Lord, CPA, is the State of California’s Regional Lead Faculty for Becker Professional Education.  In addition to teaching live CPA classes primarily in the San Francisco, California area, John is responsible for helping to recruit, train, and develop CPA instructors throughout the State.  During his almost 16 years with Becker, John has become one of the organization's most popular and effective instructors - nationwide.  His expertise on the exam, commitment to his students, and real world experience are all qualities his students cite as keys to their own success on the CPA exam.  John is also an Adjunct Professor at Golden Gate University in San Francisco, CA as well as a national instructor for Becker’s Continuing Professional Education focusing on governmental accounting and auditing topics.  

For nearly 23 years, John has also served as a Senior Audit Manager for the Government Accountability Office which is the audit, evaluation, and investigative arm of the U.S. Congress.  In his capacity with the GAO, John has led audits of the Bureau of Public Debt and IRS.  He has also led work with the GAO reviewing the accounting and auditing standards setting process in the United States where he was actively involved with the Auditing Standards Board and Financial Accounting Standards Board.  

John holds a Bachelors of Science Degree from the California State University in Hayward, California and is an active U.S. Certified Public Accountant (California) and a former President of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting. 

Peter Olinto, CPA, JD

Known as one of Becker Professional Education’s most dynamic instructors, Peter Olinto serves as a National Lead Instructor for Becker’s CPA Exam Review. He appears in many of the CD course lectures.

Following his graduation Magna Cum Laude from Pace University in 1990, Olinto completed the Becker’s CPA Exam Review—his initial connection with the company—and passed all four parts of the CPA Exam on the first attempt. He then worked as an auditor for Deloitte & Touche and earned his Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law in 1995.

After gaining experience as a tax attorney for Ernst and Young, Olinto spent almost ten years teaching law, accounting, financial statement analysis, and tax at both the graduate and undergraduate levels at Fordham’s business school. He began his career at Becker in 1998 and takes an active role not only as a faculty member, but also in the development and marketing of new course and product offerings.