Rick Klau
Education
Leaders In Tech
Fellow, 2024-09-01 - 2025-06-01
University of Richmond School of Law
JD, Law 1993-01-01 - 1996-01-01
Lafayette College
BA, International Affairs, French 1989-08-01 - 1993-05-01
Université Bourgogne Europe
Baccalaureate, French 1991-01-01 - 1992-01-01Work Experience
Onsemble
Current
Onsemble
SolarAPP+
Current
SolarAPP+
Hajoca Corporation
Current
Hajoca Corporation
State of California
2021-02-01 - 2022-07-01
State of California
2007-06-01 - 2020-10-01
FeedBurner (acquired by Google)
2005-04-01 - 2007-05-01
FeedBurner (acquired by Google)
Socialtext
2004-03-01 - 2005-04-01
Socialtext
Interface Software
2001-01-01 - 2004-01-01
Interface Software
iManage, Inc. (IPO)
1999-08-01 - 2001-01-01
iManage, Inc. (IPO)
TrialNet, Inc.
1997-12-01 - 1999-08-01
TrialNet, Inc.
Skills
Summary
I’ve spent my career at the intersection of technology and impact — building, scaling, and modernizing systems across industries that touch millions of lives. I started in law, where I helped launch the first online-only law journal. That early glimpse of the Internet’s potential pulled me into the startup world; eventually I joined FeedBurner and rode its acquisition into over a decade at Google. There, I built products and supported early-stage teams, gaining a deep appreciation for how technology at scale can solve real problems. After Google, I served as California’s Chief Technology Innovation Officer under Gov. Gavin Newsom during the pandemic. Our team launched the nation’s first open-source digital vaccination record and helped move California from the bottom to the top tier in vaccine distribution — proof that government could move with startup speed when it mattered most. Today, I’m focused on a sector that rarely gets much attention but underpins daily life: plumbing and HVAC. As co-founder and CEO of Onsemble — now part of Hajoca, the largest privately-held distributor of plumbing and HVAC products in the U.S. — I’m building modern software, powered by AI and grounded in deep industry partnerships, to help contractors run stronger, more resilient businesses. Across civic tech, venture, and now wholesale distribution, I’m drawn to complex systems where the stakes are high, the problems are messy, and the opportunity for impact is real.
