Richard is serving his fourth term as a representative of the Big Cove Community. He is the son of the late Roy D. French and Mary Swayney French. Roy served as a Council Representative for the Big Cove Community also. Richard is the youngest of six children, and a proud graduate of Cherokee High School. Prior to being elected to Council, Richard worked 15 years for NCDOT before returning to Cherokee where he worked 17 years in various positions with the EBCI and Tribal Entities.