Tamela Rich, MBA

Current

Treasurer, Board of Directors at Carolina Community Maternity Center
President & Owner at Smart Business Communications
Board of Directors & Finance Committee Member at Mecklenburg Ministries

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Past

Owner/President at Thor Industrial Services, LLC
Chief Operating Officer at Handshaw, Inc.
Director, Auto Development at LendingTree

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Education

Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business
Old Dominion University

Connections

184 connections

Industry

Writing and Editing

Websites

Tamela Rich, MBA’s Summary

I GHOSTWRITE for subject matter experts and professionals. Output ranges from newsletters and executive summaries to opinion pieces and blogs.

I write CONTENT and COPY that align with strategic business goals.

I provide CAN-SPAM-compliant newsletter services, from copy and custom templates through turnkey mailing and robust analytics.

I write business plans, white papers, case studies, presentations and funding proposals, all of which require analytical and communications expertise.

The meat and potatoes of business writing persuades through the use of information and analysis. Problem is, most people who understand numbers are not gifted communicators. I hone my narrative skills with magazine articles in Charlotte Magazine.

I'm delighted to talk to you about your project.

Tamela Rich, MBA’s Specialties:

I offer weekly writing prompts from the news and suggest how you might use the issue to highlight your business or practice at http://bitly.com/19LL0N

That’s my give. My get? Maybe you’ll use my newsletter hosting platform or ask me to write something for you or a colleague.

Tamela Rich, MBA’s Experience

Treasurer, Board of Directors

Carolina Community Maternity Center

(Medical Practice industry)

April 2009 — Present (8 months)

Inaugural board of directors for non-profit maternity center on NC-SC border. Scheduled to open on Labor Day 2009, this facility will bring a much-needed birthing option to the community.
President & Owner

Smart Business Communications

(Writing and Editing industry)

2008 — Present (1 year )

• Business Ghost Writer (newsletters, opinion pieces, blogs)
• Turnkey Newsletter Service (write, host, analyze)
• Business Plans & Funding Proposals
• Social Media Strategy & Implementation

Contributing writer to Charlotte Magazine.

First novel in progress.
Board of Directors & Finance Committee Member

Mecklenburg Ministries

(Non-Profit Organization Management industry)

January 2003 — Present (6 years 11 months)

After serving on the board in the late 1990s I returned to the organization to in 2003. Membership and financial support were down and we lost our executive director. During my two-term as board president we hired a new executive director, rebuilt membership, programs and financial stability. Continue service to this fine organization on the board finance committee.
Owner/President

Thor Industrial Services, LLC

(Environmental Services industry)

August 2003 — January 2008 (4 years 6 months)

• Raised funds to launch company and acquire equipment for use in cleaning industrial sites, wastewater/pre-treatment operations and municipal water plants
• Developed and executed multi-generational strategic plan for company including sales, personnel, operations and financial goals
• Built pipeline of projects and database of owners, engineers and contractors from whom projects are referred and for whom Thor works
• Developed website and marketing collateral targeted to owners and contractors in NC, SC, GA & southwest VA
• Discovered employee fraud and theft quickly enough that our insurance company asked me to participate in an educational seminar for their clients and underwriters on the issue
Chief Operating Officer

Handshaw, Inc.

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; E-Learning industry)

2001 — 2004 (3 years )

• Niche player in e-learning industry needed a strategy and my turnaround management skills to stay alive in a consolidating industry where larger and better-funded firms were threatening the company’s existence
• Cut losses from 40% to <10% by decreasing over-budget projects from 88% to 15%
• Improved overall project profitability by 60%
• Determined growth verticals and positioned business development and marketing messages for each
• Created ASP software offering and pricing model, enabling more companies to use Luminex (Handshaw’s proprietary software) diversifying and increasing overall revenue
Director, Auto Development

LendingTree

(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; IACI; Financial Services industry)

2000 — 2001 (1 year )

Pre-IPO LendingTree commenced operations during the mortgage re-finance boom of the late '90's but needed product diversification to please Wall Street. Developed and implemented a strategy for profitable growth through auto re-financing via company website. Penetrated auto lenders with company's proprietary software, Lend-X.

Tamela Rich, MBA’s Education

Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business

MBA , 1999 — 2000
Old Dominion University

BSBA , Business Admin, Finance Major , 1982 — 1984

Additional Information

Tamela Rich, MBA’s Websites:

Tamela Rich, MBA’s Interests:

Non-profit work focused on building community across differences, knitting, Greek mythology, Jungian archetypes, the Baha'i Faith and these living authors: Lisa Scottoline, Stephen L. Carter, Elizabeth Peters, Janet Evanovich, Stephen Saylor. Favorite book of all time: The Alchemist by Paulo Coehlo.