As Executive Director of the Gilroy Garlic Festival, Nicholls helped the festival evolve into a world-class event that raised the awareness and image of the community far beyond its borders and poured millions of dollars into community coffers.  He successfully initiated a five year re-marketing plan for the festival, targeting a more family-oriented audience. As a result, the Gilroy Garlic Festival was able to attract 150,000 people over three days, effectively tripling the population of Gilroy residents!

Exceptional growth was also a part of Nicholl’s legacy as IFEA Chairman, as he helped the association’s membership numbers grow by nearly 100 percent. He served on many IFEA committees and was instrumental in helping to start the IFEA Foundation. 

More important to Dick, however, were the value of the friendships he made through IFEA.  “I can’t express adequately how special these friendships are to me.  I feel a special affinity to these people whom I have learned from and been counseled by.” 

When Dick Nicholls passed away in 2005, those friends made sure that his legacy would continue by creating the Richard Nicholls Memorial Scholarship.  Designed to match his spirit of community involvement and volunteerism, as well as all that he unselfishly did for others throughout his life, the scholarship provides support to a deserving High School Senior or College Student with a history of commitment to participating or volunteering in non-profit events / organizations; someone who is well-rounded in extra-curricular activities in and outside of campus life, and who has a passion for helping others and/or supporting a cause that enhances the quality of life for individuals or the community at large.