Born in Blija, Friesland, the Netherlands, Dick has a BA from Calvin College, MA from Western Michigan University and a PhD from Michigan State University. He is the curator of the archives of Calvin College and Calvin Theological Seminary, archivist of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, and editor of Origins. The author of numerous articles and several books:  Historical Directory of the Christian Reformed Church, 2004; Seymour K. Padnos: Family Entrepreneur; 1997; Kent Country Club:  The First One Hundred Years, 1996; Grand Rapids Goes to War: The 1940s Homefront, 1994, and Charles Henry Hackley and the Emergence of Muskegon, Michigan, 1989. Previously he worked as the
assistant city historian/archivist for the city of Grand Rapids, the environmental review coordinator for the Michigan Historical Center, and archival specialist at Michigan State University.