Harold Rider joined Realty & Mortgage Co. in 1967. His experience is extremely diverse and includes the management of all types of real estate, lease negotiation, property rehabilitation and syndication. He is an expert in the financing and management of properties financed through governmental entities. He is a past president of the Chicago Association of Realtors (CAR) and the Chicago Chapter of the Institute of Real Estate Management (IREM®).

His redevelopment projects are valued well in excess of $200,000,000 and have won several Good Neighbor Awards as well as the coveted Richard H. Driehaus Award for Outstanding Leadership in Preservation.

Rider joined the Elgin Academy Board in 1990, when the school had just celebrated its 151st anniversary. He has spent the last 29 years as a generous philanthropist, a chairman of the committee to construct a new arts and sciences building, an advocate of the school's mission, and a head cheerleader for the Elgin community. Through his combined efforts, he has helped to raise more than $10M in support of Elgin Academy. However, it's not just his fundraising efforts that speak to his commitment to the school. He has a dedication to Elgin Academy that is unrivaled. He gives his philanthropy to Elgin Academy exclusively. Not only are he and his wife Susan, a 1961 graduate of EA, ardent supporters, but Rider has instilled a love and dedication to the school through all four of his children, all graduates of the Academy.

He holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Colorado College and has earned the Certified Property Manager (CPM®) and Counselor of Real Estate (CRE®) designations.