Tek Rizal crunches numbers as a finance business manager with Catholic Charities, but, for him, it’s personal.

It’s personal because Tek, who was born in Bhutan, fled with his family to a refugee camp in Nepal when he was three years old “to save my brother and me.” They lived in the camp for 20 years before resettling to Seattle via World Relief. A few years later they resettled to Louisville where they had friends.

Tek said that while coming to America was “a turning point” for his family, it also was “very challenging.”

“My father had $150 in his hand and my brother and I had nothing.” While in the refugee camp the family was not allowed to get jobs outside of the camp and they had not become proficient in English, making it difficult for them to get the employment they needed to become  established in the U.S. The answer, Tek said, was simple but not easy: hard work.

“I know it’s very hard at the beginning. But the reward we get for the hard work, the opportunity we have in this country, is way better than what we have been knowing in the refugee camp. When we keep up our hard work, it is rewarding right now.”

Tek and his older brother both worked full-time while attending college full-time, which was “pretty hard, especially when it is not in your first language.” Today Tek has an accounting degree from the University of Louisville and his brother is finishing a master’s degree in nursing to become a nurse practitioner. Both have bought houses.

Tek was hired at Catholic Charities about five years ago in accounts payable and then was promoted to general ledger accounting. Recently he was promoted to finance and business manager, where he does bank reconciliation, cash posting, Language Services invoices, overseas accounts payable and receivable, month-end work, and employee payroll. (Thank you, Tek!)

For fun Tek likes to hike in local parks, play ping-pong and football with his brother, and travel. He’s been to Niagara Falls, Multnomah Falls, Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower, and to Georgia to visit his aunt. Tek is planning trips to Florida and New York City. His favorite food is Chick-fil-A, “I love Chick-fil-A!” Shalimar for authentic Indian cuisine, and Chinese food.

Tek said his favorite thing about working at Catholic Charities is contributing to its mission. “I get to see all the departments. I get to see the good work done in the departments. And each day I find my work more interesting by the work we do at Catholic Charities.”

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