ASHLEY MILLER
TITLE: Director of Development
ORGANIZATION: American Heart and Stroke Association
WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Ashley Miller is someone who is known to many in the Cape Fear Area as the ‘Heart and Stroke person.’ I am proud to say that Ashley has worked on the American Heart and Stroke Association staff team in the Carolinas for 10 years. She is vital to our work and advocates for the Wilmington community to receive resources and programs and champions our work in big ways.
She has led the community and the two events – Heart Ball and Heart Walk – for 10 years and has raised over $3.2 million since she began in 2008. All of these dollars contribute to the support programs, research investments and community impact programs that affect thousands a year in Wilmington and the Cape Fear Area.
Ashley truly goes above and beyond to make every single person feel important and that they are heard.”
-Rachel Urban
JAMES ROUSE
TITLE: Chief Administrative Officer
ORGANIZATION: EmergeOrtho
WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Jim Rouse is a first to arrive and last to leave type of person.
His organizational and leadership skills are unmatched when it comes to juggling multiple responsibilities across a wide array of tasks.
While overseeing the day to day maintenance and administration of the 14 EmergeOrtho facilities spread throughout Southeastern North Carolina, he has also been at the forefront of negotiations and consultations regarding building acquisitions (Oleander Drive location, O’Malley Foot and Ankle) and has been instrumental in the construction planning of our new 56,000-square-foot operating center in Brunswick Forest.
He is the best communicator that I have ever encountered. Through his education and experience, it is obvious that his listening and critical thinking skills have separated him from the pack for some time.
Never flustered and always cool, calm, and collected; This makes for a common sense and logical approach to any situation that presents itself, whether an emergency or routine.”
-Wayne Merritt
WANDA COLEY
TITLE: President and Chief Operating Officer
ORGANIZATION: Well Care Health
WHAT THE NOMINATOR SAID: “Wanda’s leadership has been a major driver of Well Care’s operational success and rapid growth trajectory. With over 18 years of tenure, Wanda leads the operations and growth teams of both our home health and private duty nursing service lines in her role as President and COO.”
-Zac Long
MORE INFORMATION:After graduating from West Brunswick High School, Coley earned a degree in accounting at University of North Carolina Wilmington. While there, she worked as an administrative assistant at a home health care company, learning the ins and outs of that business and how the various segments of it worked in concert.
While pursuing her master’s at Webster University, she was employed by New Hanover Home Health, which was owned by New Hanover Regional Medical Center. When Well Care Home Health founders Wayne and Tanya Long purchased that business in 2000, Coley became a Well Care employee.
She’s been there ever since, moving into the position of president and chief operating officer after Wayne Long’s death at age 60 last year.
