Francis D. "Frank" Ritter, CII
Certified International Investigator

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How did "Frank" Ritter come to share his decades of experience in personal injury investigations? . . . Even to providing forms you can duplicate.

After graduating from St. Edward's University, Austin, Texas, his business and body-guarding acumen evolved into investigating. Being an investigator since 1975, he maintains membership in American Mensa and several investigative associations, including the Council of International Investigators, and, as such, has been influential in maintaining the high standards of the investigative industry.

Education 

    St. Edward's University, Austin, TX 1961 - 1963;1968 

      BA Degree in History, Minors in English & Business 

    USAF Officers Candidate School, Gunther AFB, Alabama - 1965 

    First Western Bank, Accounting Course, 1964. 

    Orange Coast College, CA English Courses, 1984-1985 

    Hundreds of seminars on various aspects of plaintiff personal injury and criminal defense investigations. 

Career 

    Backtrack Unlimited, Co., Torrance, CA. 1973 - Current
    A personal injury investigation specialist, automobile accident reconstructionist, criminal defense specialist, and an asset search specialist since 1975.

    Visit: www.BacktrackUnlimited.com

    Mitchum, Jones, Templeton, Los Angeles, CA (Brokerage House) 

    Number three man in Syndication Department, secmanaged 17 million dollar stock portfolio at age 28. 1972 

    Walston & Co., Los Angeles, CA (Brokerage House) 

      Director of Personnel, Southwest Division 1969-1971 

    Director of Operations, Los Angeles Branch -1972 

    First Western Bank, Los Angeles, CA 1963-1968 

      Youngest officer in bank's history, became officer on 23rd birthday. 

Personal

    Raised on a ranch and rodeo blue ribbon winner. 

    Commanded USAF/CAP squadron; rank of captain.

    Prior swimming instructor: 

      St. Edward's University, Austin, TX 1961-1963 

      University of Texas, Austin, TX, 1963 

      One of only three in Texas authorized to certify Water Safety Instructors for American Red Cross. 

    Prior Registered Representative 1969-1973: 

      New York Stock Exchange 
      American Stock Exchange 
      Chicago Commodities Board 
      Chicago Mercantile Exchange 

    Current Memberships: 

      American Mensa 
      California Association of Licensed Investigators
      Florida Association of Licensed Investigators
      Georgia Association of Professional Investigators (Honorary)
      National Historic Preservation Society 
      Assoc. for the Preservation of Civil War Sites 
      Amnesty International 
      Council of International Investigators 
      National Council of Investigation & Security Services, Inc. (NCISS)

Court Citation, Awards and Honors

    Awarded the rank of "Colonel" in The Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels. This is the highest honor that can be awarded by the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and was so bestowed on January 13, 2004, by the Honorable Ernie Fletcher, Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

    Orange County, CA, Municipal Court case 90-C6526, testified as expert Auto Accident Reconstructionist - March 17, 1995. 

    Council of International Investigators: 

    City of Hope Lifetime Appreciation Award - 1982. 

    Biographee in California Historical Society's Who's Who in California (1985 & 1988) 

Future Speaking Engagements

To Be Announced

Prior Speaking Engagements

Private Investigators of California Association, Inland Empire District meeting, Riverside, CA, July 11, 2007, "Murder or Mishap?: A new way of investigating Accidents and Homicides."

Florida Association of Licensed Investigators Annual Conference Daytona Beach, FL, May 27, 2007, "Recorded vs. non-recorded (written) statements."

Florida Association of Licensed Investigators Annual Conference Daytona Beach, FL, May 26, 2007, "Of pyramids and bullets: A whole new way to investigate."

Private Investigators of California Association, Orange County District meeting, Fullerton, CA, April 11, 2007, "Murder or Mishap?: A new way of investigating Accidents and Homicides."

California Association of Licensed Investigators, San Joaquin Valley District meeting, Bakersfield, CA, January 18, 2007, "Murder or Mishap?: A new way of investigating Accidents and Homicides."

Military Order of World Wars, North San Diego County Chapter, Poway, CA, March 4, 2006, "Senior Fraud, and Identity Theft"

Kiwanis Club, Rancho Bernardo, CA, January 25, 2006, "What is a Private Investigator?"

California Association of Licensed Investigators, Los Angles District meeting, Los Angeles, CA, November 10, 2005, "Murder or Mishap?: A new way of investigating Accidents and Homicides."

Military Order of World Wars, North San Diego County Chapter, Poway, CA, November 5, 2005, "What is a Private Investigator?"

California Association of Licensed Investigators, Inland Empire District meeting, Riverside, CA, October 11, 2005, "Murder or Mishap?: A new way of investigating Accidents and Homicides."

Sole presenter at a one day seminar sponsored by the California School of Investigation, Horizon Casino Hotel, South Lake Tahoe, CA, October 1, 2005. "Enhanced Personal Injury Litigation and Investigation.

California Association of Licensed Investigators, San Diego District meeting, San Diego, CA, September 15, 2005, "Murder or Mishap?: A new way of investigating Accidents and Homicides."

Professional Investigators of California Association, Los Angeles District Meeting, June 30, 2005, "Educating Attorneys."

Profession Investigators and Security Association, Annual Symposium, Lynchburg, VA, March 5, 2005, "Homicides Hiding Inside Accidents."

Professional Investigators of California Association, Annual Convention, Studio City, CA, November 13, 2004, "Accident Scene Investigations."

Professional Private Investigator Association of Colorado, Annual Convention, Estea Park, CO, October 7-9, "Homicides Hiding Inside Accidents."

Florida Association of Licensed Investigators Annual Conference Orlando, FL, Sept. 2004, "How to get a 5 month investigation into a 50 page report."

Iowa Association of Private Investigators Annual Conference, Des Moines, IA, July 16, 2004, "Homicides hiding inside accidents"

Association One 2004 Conference, Fort Mitchell, KY, February 2004, "Accidents Hiding Homicides"

Pacific Northwest Association of Investigators Annual Conference, Seattle, WA, September 2003, "Accidental or Intentional Death?"

National Association of Legal Investigators Annual Conference, Indianapolis, IN, June 2003, "Accidents Hiding Homicides"

South Carolina Association Licensed Investigator Annual Conference, Myrtle Beach, SC, May 2003, "Homicide or Accident?"

Professional Association of Wisconsin Licensed Investigators Annual Conference, Oconomowoc, WI, April 2003, "Murder or Mistake?"

    California Association of Licensed Investigators:
    "Educating Attorneys"
      Los Angeles, CA December 5, 2002
      Fresno, CA May 23, 2002
      North Hollywood, CA April 25, 2002
      San Francisco, CA March 28, 2002
      Ventura, CA February 13, 2002
      Riverside, CA February 28, 2002
      Santa Rosa, CA January 10, 2002
      Santa Ana, CA December 12, 2001
      Sacramento, CA November 15, 2001


    Georgia Association of Professional Private Investigators Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA, November, 2002,
    "Homicide or Accident, Accident or Homicide?"

    Florida Annual Licensed Investigators Conference, Miami, FL, October, 2002, "Murder or Mishap?"

    Arizona Association of Licensed Private Investigators Annual Conference, Phoenix, AZ October, 2002, "Murder or Mayhem?"

    Southeast Superconference, New Orleans, LA, August 2002, "Crossover Accidents"

    Oregon Association of Licensed Investigators Annual Convention, Hood River, OR, June 2002 “Wolves In Sheep's Clothing”

    Licensed Private Detectives Association of Massachusetts 2002 Superconference, Braintree, MA March, 2002 "Homicide or Accident? Accident or Homicide?"

    National Association of Legal Investigators 1997 National Convention, Chicago, IL - "Organized Crime" 

    National Association of Legal Investigators 1996 Mid-Winter Seminar, Las Vegas, NV - "Asset Searches" 

    University of California, Irvine, CA - "Asset Searches" October 1995; May and October 1996; November 1997; October 1998 

    Orange County Bar Association (Probate Division) luncheon for attorney continuing education - 1991 - "Asset Searches" 

    Rotary Club luncheon, Huntington Beach, CA - "What is a Private Investigator?" - 1983. 

    City of Hope, Newport Beach Chapter, CA, "Terrorism" - March 1982

    City of Hope, Long Beach Chapter, CA, "Terrorism" - May 1982

Publications

    The Legal Investigator: Fall, 2006: "The Bullet . . . A new way to investigate."

    PI Magazine, May 2005, "Our Profession's Shame"

    PI Magazine, August 2003, "Is Digital Really the Answer?"

    The Professional Association of Wisconsin Licensed Investigators publication, The Informant, Winter 2002 Edition, "The Importance Of Understanding Accident Dynamics."

    Successful Personal Injury Investigation (Path to Prosperity, a Division of Diverse Publications) 2001

    "Construction Site Accidents" chapter in the book Advanced Forensic Civil Investigations (Judges & Lawyers Publishing) 1997 

    National Association of Legal Investigators' national magazine: 

      The Legal Investigator, May 2001, "Chains That Bind."

      The Legal Investigator, August 1998, "Anatomy of a Security Guard Shooting." 

      The Legal Investigator, May 1997, "Assets .... Hiding in Plain Sight." 

      The Legal Investigator, February 1994, "The Final Frontier .... The Report!" 

      The Legal Investigator, February 1992, "The Art of Hearing Between the Lines"


PLAYS BY THE AUTHOR

"The Business Card"
Produced and Performed:
Sunshine Brooks Theater
Oceanside, CA
July, 2008

Winner of the prestigious "Best of Festival Award" for 2008

"Michelangelo's Revenge"
Produced and Performed:
Sunshine Brooks Theater
Oceanside, CA
July/August, 2009

Winner of the prestigious "Best of Festival Award" for 2009