Ryan Bricker married his wife Emma ('20) in 2022. They have two sons, Jack and Abel.

Ryan Bricker (’20) came to The Master’s University primarily to play baseball and study kinesiology — but his freshman macroeconomics class changed everything. Now, Bricker is serving Christ as a certified public accountant (CPA) at KPMG, one of the Big Four accounting firms, performing financial statement audits and representing Christ with excellence to a global network of clients.

Bricker initially heard of TMU through his high school baseball coach, who put him into contact with TMU Head Coach Monte Brooks. When he arrived on campus to play baseball in the fall of 2016, Bricker said that he “quickly realized that TMU was going to be a great experience.”

Originally a kinesiology major, Bricker began to reconsider after realizing how much he was enjoying a general education macroeconomics class with business professor Dr. R. W. Mackey.

“I loved it,” Bricker said. “It just made a lot of sense to me.”

At a dorm event the same semester, Bricker met Todd Kostjuk, a business professor and TMU’s chief financial officer. Soon enough, Bricker had changed his major from kinesiology to business administration, with a double emphasis in accounting and finance.

Throughout Bricker’s time as a business major, he says that Kostjuk mentored him and had a decisive influence on his trajectory.

“It has impacted my life so much,” Bricker said. “I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now if it weren’t for his direction.”

During Bricker’s senior year, Kostjuk’s Advanced Accounting course introduced him to KPMG, a Big Four global accounting firm. Bricker was offered an interview with the firm, and then a job as an accountant once he graduated.

Bricker played on TMU’s baseball team during his time at the University.

Bricker graduated with honors in 2020 and went on to earn his MBA at TMU in 2021. He then began his job at KPMG while simultaneously working toward his CPA license, which he obtained in 2023.

Now, as a CPA for KPMG’s Orange County office, Bricker performs financial statement audits for KPMG’s clients. Much of his time is filled with meetings and interactions with coworkers and clients, both national and international, giving him many opportunities to represent Christ in what he calls “very much a people business.”

Another part of honoring Christ as a CPA includes “excellent work, attention to detail, and dependability,” Bricker said.

“If I say I’m going to do something, I do it. If I’m delegated work, I’m doing it as expected, or exceeding expectations as much as I can.”

From baseball to Bible classes to graduate studies in business, Bricker said his time at TMU and the numerous lifelong relationships he gained along the way have deeply shaped the way he approaches his faith and career.

“TMU gave me a deep love for Christ and His Word, and solidified the foundation of my faith for the rest of my life — understanding what it is that I believe, and that the Word of God is my authority.”

Learn more about business administration at TMU here.