Rick Rothacker, 37, has been a reporter at the Charlotte Observer since 1998, covering banking since 2001. While at the paper, he has won awards from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers and the North Carolina Press Association. Prior to the Observer, he worked for Legi-Slate News Service in Washington and interned at the Philadelphia Inquirer. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism.