Research Triangle Park, NC – July 1, 2021 – Rho, a full-service contract research organization, has promoted 20-year company veteran Tara Gladwell, MBA, to the position of Chief Operating Officer (COO). Rho helps pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies bring their products to market through high-quality clinical research services.

Ms. Gladwell – who joined Rho in 2001 as a project manager – has worked in all aspects of Rho’s business, most recently as Senior Vice President, Operations. She has also led full-service clinical trials and regulatory submissions, demonstrating exceptional leadership skills that inspire growth and build on Rho’s legacy of devoted customer service and impeccable results. As the first person from outside the company’s founding family to hold a C-suite position, Ms. Gladwell will support CEO Laura Helms-Reece, Dr.Ph., in driving Rho’s business based on company values.

“Tara has been instrumental in building the clinical operations and business development functions at Rho, and I am delighted to welcome her to this new role at our women-led company,” said Dr. Helms-Reece. “After 10+ years on our Executive Committee, and with proven expertise in advancing our business, Tara is uniquely qualified as COO in this period of rapid business growth. I am confident of her continued success.”

“I am delighted to take on the COO role at Rho, a fast-growing company with a reputation for excellence in research, customer service and talent retention,” said Ms. Gladwell. “As COO, my goal will be to continue Rho’s growth trajectory in a rapidly changing marketplace, while maintaining the strong culture established by our founding family, which has been critical to our success. Changes driven by the COVID-19 pandemic also provide exciting opportunities for Rho to shape the future of clinical trials, especially in the use of decentralized models. Rho is uniquely positioned for success in this environment, with a differentiated offering based on a strong therapeutic focus and foundational expertise in biometrics and data analytics.”

Educated in North Carolina, Ms. Gladwell has a BS in Biology from Guilford College and an MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business.

 About Rho

Rho, a privately held, contract research organization (CRO) located in Research Triangle Park, NC, provides a full range of clinical research services across the entire drug development process. For more than 35 years, Rho has been a trusted partner to some of the industry’s leading pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies as well as academic and government organizations. Our commitment to excellence, our innovative technologies, and our therapeutic expertise accelerate time to market, maximize returns on investment, and lead to an exceptional customer experience. Please follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.