In Profile

SPECIAL FOCUS: WOMEN IN BUSINESS IN PROFILE Putting patients first at PPD

BY CECE NUNN

Rhonda Henry knows what it’s like to have a potentially terminal illness.

At age 32, Henry, now vice president of patient-centered trials for Wilmington-headquartered PPD, discovered she had breast cancer.

“The diagnosis was somewhat of a fluke. I had a biopsy because I had some inflammation in a mammary duct, and it turned out to be invasive cancer,” Henry said.

Henry, who had two young children at the time, and her doctor pursued an aggressive treatment plan, with a bilateral mastectomy and four rounds of chemo.

These days, Henry’s in charge of developing and implementing solutions to help PPD’s customers reach more patients with clinical trials as possible care or treatment options.

“I think in some ways, it was a blessing because even though I was in clinical research and I had been a nurse, breast cancer gave me a patient perspective,” Henry said, “what it’s like to be on the other side of a condition.”

Henry recently received a major pharmaceutical industry accolade. She and Karen Kaucic, chief medical officer of PPD and president of Evidera, were named to the 2020 PharmaVOICE 100 list of the most inspiring people in their industry.

Published by PharmaVOICE magazine, the PharmaVOICE 100 is an annual list of “inspirational and innovative individuals recognized for their positive contributions to the life sciences industry,” according to a PPD news release.

Profiles of Kaucic and Henry appear in the PharmaVOICE 100 issue.

“They’re impressive individuals so to be considered part of that group is quite an honor,” Henry said. “There are a lot of people across the industry who’ve been doing this a lot longer than I have that deserve this recognition even more than I do but I find it very motivating. It’s made me want to continue to do what I’ve set out to do, the mission that I’m on, and to do it to the best of my ability.”

Henry described that mission as “giving people greater access to options in their own health care.”

“So, for me, most of the time that includes clinical trials,” she added. “But it’s providing patients, individu

PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER A patient focus: Rhonda Henry, vice president of patient-centered trials at PPD, was recognized recently as an inspiring voice in the pharmaceutical industry.

als, caregivers, with access to clinical trials, as a treatment or a care option and then making it easier for them to participate in a clinical trial should they choose to do so.

“And by doing that, I’m helping the industry solve one of the biggest challenges, which is finding individuals that are willing to participate in trials so that we can get the data that we need to see if a drug is safe and effective.”

Colleagues recognize her drive.

“As a breast cancer survivor, Rhonda is deeply passionate about creating greater access to clinical trials and removing potential barriers to participation,” said Nik Morton, senior vice president of digital services at PPD, in a news release about the PharmaVOICE list. “This passion overflows to her colleagues. When it comes to improving patient access to, and experience within, clinical trials, Rhonda makes it her business to understand every single asset or capability that exists across PPD and the broader industry of partners and vendors that PPD could or should collaborate with – if that collaboration can improve the trial conduct and patient experience.”

Henry explained how PPD goes about finding patients, which involves a multi-faceted approach.

“By and large, we have used investigators, which are health care professionals who have been trained to do clinical research,” she said. “We have an entire database full of sites, all over the world, that have experience in clinical research and have access to patients with certain indications. They may be specialties or subspecialties, but that’s just one methodology.”

Other methods vary.

“Now, what we’re seeing, especially with COVID and the pandemic, is that we’re doing much, much more direct-to-patient outreach, so reaching patients through advertising, articles, social media and through peer groups and Facebook communities.”

Her journey to working for PPD for nearly 29 years began with her desire to become a nurse.

“I wanted to serve,” Henry said. “I wanted to help people and nursing was the field that I chose.”

Henry pursued that career in Wilmington.

“I graduated from UNCW School of Nursing and worked for several years at New Hanover Regional Medical Center and was presented this opportunity to go to go work for this new company in town called PPD as a clinical research associate which is an entry-level position,” Henry said. “And all I knew was that they were hiring nurses to travel around to doctors’ offices to be anywhere in the world to educate them about a clinical trial and to collect data. And I thought, ‘How cool does that sound?’”

Besides the opportunity to travel, there were other benefits Henry liked about the job. “I don’t have to wear a nursing uniform; I can wear regular clothes; I can work 8 to 5, nonshift work,” she said of her thoughts at the time. It turned out “to be a career that I absolutely loved.”

Henry continued to advance within PPD.

“I was given the opportunity not only to lead a therapeutic area there but then to move over into the business side of things and develop strategic relationships with pharmaceutical and biotech companies that helped us work more collaboratively and more effectively together,” Henry said. “And now I’m back in the operations side, again working in an area that I love and that’s patient-centricity, helping the industry become more focused on patients as the key stakeholder in drug development.”

Reader’s Guide

BizLeads is a collection of information gathered from greater Wilmington courthouses, state government offices and informational websites. These listings are intended to help the business community find new customers and stay on top of happenings with current customers, vendors and competitors.

New Corporations lists firms that were recently incorporated in the state of North Carolina. All information is gathered from the North Carolina Secretary of State website. Addresses listed may not be the actual address of the business.

NEW CORPS July 1 - 31

KINLAW REAL ESTATE LLC 3931 Marsh Hen Drive Shallotte 28470 Agent: Deborah Kinlaw

KMH GLOBAL MARKETING LLC 204 Arcadian Row Apt #209 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Krystine Marie Hobson

KMS SOLUTIONS LLC 122 N Crestwood Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Caitlin Quinn

L N MEDICAL SUPPLIES L.L.C. 5032 Out Island Drive Wilmington 28409 Agent: Leo L Long

LAKE TIMES PROPERTIES LLC 1305 Spotswood Ct Wilmington 28409 Agent: Daniel D. Phelps

LAND TRANSFORMATION LLC. 522 Manly Ave Wilmington 28405 Agent: Dennis Baxley

LEGACY SHORES VENTURE PARTNERS LLC 3414 Wrightsville Ave Wilmington 28403 Agent: Robbie B. Parker

LINK 2 US.ORG L.L.C. 2840 S College Rd # 339 Wilmington 28412-6827 Agent: Tomika L. Willoughby

LIT PORTALS INC. 2204 Gardenia Ct Wilmington 28409 Agent: Nicholas Van Burren

LIVEWIRE ELECTRICAL & AIR LLC 7749 James Way ne Leland 28451 Agent: Phillip D Robbins

LOCKHART BOOKKEEPING & TAX PREPARATION LLC 5022 Hunt Club Rd Apt 2 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Jamesetta Wainwright

LOVELY CARES LLC 9121 National Ave Leland 28451 Agent: Jeffrey Hibbert

LOW TIDE CONSTRUCTION INC 434 Sausalito Dr Wilmington 28412 Agent: Jeremy Letchworth

LUMISEAS CORPORATION 2626 Bow Hunter Dr Wilmington 28411 Agent: Robert Lee Kent Jr LUXURIOUS HOME DECOR LLC 3037 Pauline Lane Wilmington 28405 Agent: Sharita Bell

MARLOW ARCHITECTURE PLLC 840 Settlers Lane Kure Beach 28449 Agent: Hart Marlow

MATH BUSTERS TUTORING LLC 6518 Chalfont Circle Wilmington 28405 Agent: Drew Vliet

MBAKWIN PROPERTIES LLC 7415 Richfield Court Wilmington 28411 Agent: Meghan Bakwin Wells

MCGHEE ENTERPRISES LLC 219 NE 64th St Apt A Oak Island 28465 Agent: Brandon Riley McGhee-Austin

MDR PROPERTY HOLDINGS LLC 154 Great Oak Dr Hampstead 28443 Agent: William Micheal Riley

MEDQRA L.L.C. 589 Riverwood Dr. SE Bolivia 28422 Agent: Richard Hettenbach

METTS CONSTRUCTION & LANDSCAPING LLC 250 J Metts Drive Supply 28462 Agent: Jameel M Metts

MHWJR LLC 6220 Sentry Oaks Dr Wilmington 28409 Agent: Malcolm Warner

MI RANCH L.L.C 9992 Piney Woods Rd Willard 28478 Agent: Abigail Lopez Sanchez

MUESES AIR LLC 1503 Flushing Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: Juan J. Mueses

MURRAY FARMS VENTURE PARTNERS LLC

3414 Wrightsville Ave Wilmington 28403 Agent: Robbie B. Parker

MURRAYMED SUPPLY LLC 4034 Tamarisk Lane #54 Wilmington 28409 Agent: Kevin Murray

MUSCLE MAX LLC 1200 Slater Way Leland 28451 Agent: Daniel J Ellis

MUTINY EBIKES LLC 320 N New River Drive Surf City 28445 Agent: Christopher G. Rackley

MWDESIGN LLC 8400 Sidbury Rd Wilmington 28411 Agent: Maria L Williams

MY HOME JOURNAL LLC 1260 Village Point Road Shallotte 28470 Agent: Luke A Perisich

NASTIE CLOTHING LLC 1263 Morgan Rd Supply 28462 Agent: Shanika Jones

NAUTICAL HOSTING LLC 201 River Drive Southport 28461 Agent: Suzanne Foster

NAVIGATOR YACHT SALES LLC 2608 Shandy Ln Wilmington 28409 Agent: Brendan Bennett

NEEDHAM & GULLEY ENVIRONMENTAL PLLC 9100 Charlestowne Road SE Winnabow 28479 Agent: Robert N. Needham

NEIL WRIGHT LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 3802 Grand Willow Circle Southport 28461 Agent: Neil C. Wright

NFINITE LLC 2168 Bayside Dr. sw Supply 28462 Agent: Preston Divers

NGUYEN SEAWITCH PROPERTIES LLC 224 Carolina Beach Ave N Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Leo L Nguyen

NICE AND NEAT LANDSCAPING L.L.C. 35 Cypress Grove Dr Apt D Wilmington 28401 Agent: Shyion Jennings

NINTH STREET LLC 5319 Oleander Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: Kathryn Ross

NOOK N KRANNY HOME INSPECTIONS LLC 386 Turner Way Hampstead 28443 Agent: David Scott Williams II

NORTH RALEIGH PG LLC 1054 S. Seabreeze Road Wilmington 28409 Agent: Raimond Struble

OAK TREE SERVICES INC 738 Carolina Inlet Acres Road Wilmington 28412 Agent: Pablo Moreno Herrera

OD FLOORING LLC 2474 Old Ocean Hwy Bolivia 28422 Agent: Jeeseka Morales

ODD JOBS UNLIMITED NC INC 1052 Beach Drive SW Calabash 28467 Agent: Barbara Pugh

ODYSSEY MECHANICAL LLC 6730 Amsterdam Way Wilmington 28405 Agent: Kevin Adrian Hommes

ORGANIZED CIRCUS LLC 2525 Shadebranch Ct Wilmington 28411 Agent: David Carr Fullagar

OSPREY INVESTMENTS LLC 7429 Janice Lane Wilmington 28411 Agent: Ryan M. Roberts

OUR PEOPLE’S MUSIC GROUP ENTERTAINMENT LLC. 1525 Sandlapper Way Unit #306 Wilmington 28412 Agent: Quami L. Felder

P-GEO INCORPORATED 6338 Oleander Dr Apt 8 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Susan Foerster

PAIN APPARELL LLC 2707 Bunche Street Wilmington 28405 Agent: Alfonza Walker Jr.

PARKER O’CONNELL VENTURES LLC 7102 Farrington Farms Dr Wilmington 28411 Agent: Parker O’Connell

PEREGRINE WAY HOA INC. 3412 Osprey Lane Wilmington 28409 Agent: Jefferson C. Woodall

PERSONNEL TECHNOLOGY LLC 1202 Yardley Lane Wilmington 28412 Agent: Scott L Monroe

PESI CARE LLC 1902 Eastwood Rd Wilmington 28403 Agent: Peggy Singer

PGB NORTHCHASE II LLC 2049 Corporate Drive Wilmington 28405 Agent: Tiffany Bates

PHILLIPS & SON LAND SERVICES LLC 1075 Phillips Bay Ln NE Leland 28451 Agent: Kimberly G. Phillips

PIEDMONT INDUSTRIAL HEMP LLC 212 Dixie Ave. Wilmington 28403 Agent: Michael Long

PLUTO LABS L.L.C. 6508 Windmill Way Suite B Wilmington 28405 Agent: Ellis Haroldson

PORT CITY DELI LLC 1225 Deer Hill Drive Wilmington 28409 Agent: Bradford Heaton

POSITIVE RATE LLC 8632 Plantation Landing Drive Wilmington 28411 Agent: Gregory Vining

PRECISION CONSTRUCTION SERVICES NC LLC 1518 Lake Park Blvd S Apt 4D Carolina Beach 28428 Agent: Ismael Soto

PRECISION PILINGS AND FOUNDATIONS LLC 402 Carl Street Wilmington 28403 Agent: Cape Fear Tax Accounting Solutions LLC

PRESERVATION STATION INC. 5413 Cross Creek Rd Wilmington 28403 Agent: Joelle Scholer

PRESTIGE CONCIERGE SERVICES OF THE CC LLC 402 Carl Street #102 Wilmington 28403 Agent: Cape Fear Tax & Accounting Solutions LLC

PRG TRANSPORT L.L.C. 108 South Lloyd Street Burgaw 28425 Agent: Brittany Guyton

PRO HANDYMAN SOLUTIONS INC. 1917 Robert Luke Dr NE Leland 28451 Agent: Tony J. Gilbert

PROPERTY REVISION LLC 2081 Burnett Blvd Wilmington 28401 Agent: Jon Holtzclaw

PURE AGAPE LLC 1308 N 5th Street Wilmington 28401 Agent: Shana Franks

PURE HAIR CO. L.L.C 7122 Market St Ste 114 Wilmington 28411-9891 Agent: Shannon Lowe

QAADIR’S BOUTIQUE LLC 4878 Malpass Corner Rd Burgaw 28425 Agent: Bakari Qaadir

R&R COASTAL HOME INSPECTIONS LLC 240 Capital Dr Hampstead 28443-1138 Agent: Eric Remilev

RABBLE AND ROSE LLC 201 N Front St Ste 513 Wilmington 28401 Agent: Anna Marie Precythe

REAL CLEAN EXTERIORS LLC 108 Brookwood Ave Wilmington 28403 Agent: Gabriel Chandler

REAL PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT LLC 3819 Park Avenue Wilmington 28403 Agent: GM Entity Services Inc.

REALSTAR SOLAR SYSTEMS LLC 1 Sun Court Carolina Shores 28467 Agent: Graeme Black

REFINED RENOVATIONS ILM INC. 3701 Tumbril Ln Wilmington 28412 Agent: William N. Simpson

REMEMBER OUR HISTORY INC. 713 Caswell Beach Road Oak Island 28465 Agent: Kathleen M Hines

RENEWED VILLAGE 228 Green Bay Rd NW Ocean Isle Beach 28469 Agent: Lucas Grainger

RESURRECT HER BEAUTE LLC 505 Costin Rd Burgaw 28425 Agent: Zipporah Jordan

REVIS YACHT SALES LLC 5314 Ridgewoodheights Drive Wilmington 28403 Agent: Tyler Revis

RICHMOND HILLS NORTH COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION INC. 2018 Eastwood Road Wilmington 28403 Agent: Premier Management Company

RIPTIDE BUILDERS DEVELOPMENT INC 8985 Marshview Ln SW Sunset Beach 28468- 4602 Agent: Robert Eric Hill

Send information about company hires, promotions or awards to editor@wilmingtonbiz.com UNCW Board of Trustees elects 2020-21 officers

The UNCW Board of Trustees elected officers for the 2020-21 academic year.

HENRY “HAL” KITCHIN was named board chair, GIDGET KIDD is vice-chair, and HENRY “HANK” MILLER III was named the board secretary. Kitchin has been

Kitchin a member of the board since 2013. He has been re-elected as chair, leading the board, the executive committee and the endowment board.

Kidd has been a member of the board since 2013. She is a current member and past chair of the Asheboro City Schools Board of Education.

And Miller has been member of the board since 2015 and currently serves as a member of the Board of Aldermen for Wrightsville Beach.

Thomas Construction Group names new hires

Wilmington-based Thomas Construction Group has announced the addition of several new employees. KYLE BROOKS, KRAMER JOYCE and JAKE CONNOR have joined the general contracting firm. Brooks is a senior estimator with 10 years of experience

Brooks estimating jobs ranging from $2 million to over $50 million in value. Joyce is a superintendent with the firm, and will be responsible for assist

Connor ing the on-site team with subcontractor management, meeting milestones, cost management, client communication and project safety. Connor has joined Thomas Joyce Construction’s accounting department as a project accountant, responsible for working with project managers and superintendents to maintain project costs. Anderson joins Maus, Warwick, Matthews & Co.

JOHN ANDERSON has joined Maus, Warwick, Matthews & Co. as a real estate broker. Before joining the firm, Anderson “covered an extensive territory as a medical device sales representative specializing in cryo

Anderson therapy for total joint replacement patients,” officials said.

Anderson is a Wilmington native. He graduated from the University of North Carolina Wilmington where he earned a bachelor’s degree in communication studies.

CAMS promotes Orr

DAVE ORR has been promoted to president of the Community Association Management Services.

Orr previously served as the Community Association Management Services (CAMS) senior vice president of community management. With the transition, Mike Stonestreet’s title is Orr founder/owner, and Dave Sweyer’s title is CEO/owner.

Before joining CAMS, Orr was responsible for the daily operations of a large community association management company. He has also served as senior vice president of a large community association management company’s lifestyle division.

Rock joins McKim & Creed engineering

McKim & Creed Inc. has welcomed THOMAS ROCK to the firm’s engineering team.

Rock is the company’s Mid-Atlantic subsurface utility engineering (SUE) manager, overseeing the firm’s professional SEU services from Georgia to Pennsylvania, including the Wilmington location.

Rock In his nearly 40- year career, Rock has been involved with every facet of the industry, from working on SUE crews to managing projects to leading a national SUE company.

Rock is a graduate of East Carolina University with a degree in industrial technology.

SPECIAL FOCUS: WOMEN IN BUSINESS IN THE NEWS How to calculate a career

BY JENNY CALLISON

Numbers have always held an allure for Tammika Brown, and eventually, they added up to a career for her.

It’s not every young girl who finds joy in reconciling checking accounts, for instance. But as a youngster, she did.

“Back in the days when banks sent out all the canceled checks with monthly checking account statements, I used to reconcile my parents’ bank account. I couldn’t wait for that envelope to arrive so I could put all those checks in order,” Brown said.

By the age of 12, she had her own checking account.

Brown had a powerful example: her mother, who started as a bank teller and moved up the banking ladder to a position as vice president.

Brown’s family moved to the Cape Fear area when she was a teenager. She attended North Brunswick High School and then headed off to Bennett College in Greensboro. She debated whether to major in business or in accounting but ultimately chose the latter.

“I studied accounting, watching how money could grow through compound interest, through putting money in the bank, in the stock market: things that allow those numbers to grow,” she said.

Brown’s first job was as a night auditor at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside (now Hotel Ballast) in Wilmington. Within a year, she became an accounting clerk in the executive office. But in late 2001, her path took a slight turn when she became an accountant for a small business. She said the work was engaging because she could see the whole picture of the business’s finance.

In her first foray into small business accounting, Brown said she was able to really manage the finances of the $2 million company. Her knowhow saved the company a significant amount of money, she said.

She replicated that experience with another small business and then decided she was ready to open her own shop.

She launched Tammika C. Brown Accounting and Tax Service LLC in the fourth quarter of 2016.

PHOTO BY MICHAEL CLINE SPENCER By the numbers: Tammika Brown owns an accounting and tax service that started in 2016.

“Before I started my own business, I was coming across a lot of small business owners who were having trouble with tax issues and paying a lot of money to CPAs and not being educated about taxes or accounting,” she said. “They didn’t know why they

owed money. I knew I could help them reduce their tax liability.”

For example, she noted, companies that have lost business during the pandemic could well see some tax benefits.

“Businesses that are not doing well need to keep up with their income and expenses for the year,” she said. “If you have a contract with another business, and that contract was canceled, keep that information and tell your tax professional.”

In less than four years, the number of Brown’s clients has multiplied to about 250.

Brown, a former member of the Community Boys & Girls Club, is also a new member of the YWCA Lower Cape Fear board. It’s a good fit for her, she said. “Empowering women and eliminating racism is right up my alleyway.”

Tammika Brown’s profile ran in a recent WILMA Leadership, one of the daily email newsletters from WILMA magazine, the Business Journal’s sister publication. To sign up for that or other newsletters, go to WILMAmag. com/email-newsletter.