Mary Nicholas is a senior healthcare executive with over 20 years of experience in strategic planning, operations management, and quality assurance. She has a proven track record of launching new organizations and achieving regulatory compliance and revenue goals. Her areas of expertise include strategic planning, software design, budgeting, and leading operations improvement. She currently works as an independent consultant after previously serving as President and CEO of a healthcare accreditation organization she helped establish.

1. MARY NICHOLAS
1170 Cornwall Avenue, Waterloo, IA 50702
marycnicholas310@gmail.com • 319.230.3219 • LinkedIn URL: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marynicholas
SENIOR HEALTHCARE OPERATIONS EXECUTIVE
Strategic Planning / Proprietary Software Design
Healthcare Accreditation and Compliance / Fiscal Management and Profit Optimization
Operations Management / Process Improvement
Seasoned, ambitious healthcare executive with 20 +year record of achievement developing and directing
strategic initiatives in ever­changing, client and support service focused environments. Intuitive leader with
acute business acumen and expertise in operations management, process improvement and not for profit
organizations; excel at aligning core business activities, revenue generation, compliance requirements and
growth goals to enhance ROI for all stakeholders.
Solid history of success in new organizational set up, ensuring interaction alignment between accreditation
organizations and end user clients, working with others to ensure the creation and establishing of collaborative
methodologies, software product development, marketing and implementation, cost control and reduction,
budget administration and human resource management. Highly effective in advocating and initiating regulatory
change
Areas of Expertise:
● Strategic Planning and Implementation
● Recruiting and Staffing Initiatives
● Contract Development / Negotiations
● Software design
● Government compliance and healthcare
regulations
● Budget Administration / Management
● Internal Systems and Controls
● Operations Analysis / Process Redesign
● Not­ for­ Profit
● Innovative Team Building and Leadership
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
HEALTHCARE QUALITY ASSOCIATION ON ACCREDITATION​. – Waterloo, IA
President and CEO​ (2004 to May 2016)
Established and lead an accreditation organization initiated as a response to the Medicare Modernization Act
(2003). Oversee and o​ rchestrate all bottom­line factors, including company vision, long­range strategic
planning, product management, and software development. Provide cross­functional management including
human resources for 25 full time employees and 35 independent contractors based around the US. fiscal
responsibility; operational activities; administration and directed marketing. Developed the culture of superior
service and ensured annual quality measurements and reporting for Medicare.
Selected Contributions:
♦ Launched organization and ​achieved $9m revenue in four years.
♦ Achieved deemed authority status via RFP in the Federal Registry​ to accredit home medical
equipment companies in 2006.
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♦ Developed, introduced and successfully launched a proprietary software program ensuring
positive change to the methodology in which accreditation could occur, ​providing a system that
supported all scopes of organizational sizes and made it an understandable and user­friendly process.
♦ Delivered 25% market share ​in a competitive arena of 10 accreditation organizations.
VGM, INC.​ – Waterloo, IA
Vice President, Quality Systems​ (1999 to 2004)
Working as part of the senior management team for this national buying group for independent home medical
equipment providers with full responsibility for directing all quality initiatives for Homelink, the largest division
within the organization. Envisioned and implemented process improvements and more streamlined
approaches to routine activities as well as strategic initiatives to increase efficiencies, reduce errors and
ensure service improvements and top level customer satisfaction.
Selected Contributions:
♦ Trained 150+ employees in the aspects of quality management, design, analysis and improvement
activities, ​resulting in greater knowledge and understanding and higher standards.
♦ Executed a customer satisfaction process ​which underpinned any process change to ensure
customer support met standards and needs.
♦ Developed and implemented a vendor rating scale ​providing employees immediate information
relating to their reliability and capability to deliver the goods or services needed.
♦ Planned and organized travel arrangements and logistics from several different locations​ ensuring
smooth transportation and a professional experience for 500­700 annual conference
attendees.
ADDITIONAL RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS
EXCEPTIONAL PERSONS, INC.​ – Waterloo, IA (Director of Residential Services) (1988­ 1999)
Selected Contributions: Leadership of 250+ staff responsible for the 24hour supervision of adults with
disabilities, achieved compliance with state regulators/ inspections every year during tenure and opened the
first group home for non­adults with severe mental and social disorders.
ADULTS INCORPORATED,​ – Waterloo, IA (Director) (1978 – 1988)
Selected Contributions: Worked with adults with disabilities ​to support improvements in social, emotional
needs, independent living and vocational skills. Created the first day program for individuals with traumatic
brain injury and implemented coursework in American Sign Language to support individuals with language
and speech difficulties.
EDUCATION CREDENTIALS AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
Master of Healthcare Administration (MHA)​ ∙ ​UNIVERSITY OF DES MOINES​ – Des Moines, IA
Bachelor Degree, Elementary Education, (emphasis on Special Education)​ ∙ ​UNIVERSITY OF NORTHERN
IOWA, ​Cedar Falls​, IA
Charter Member of CE 4045 (2014 – Present)​ ∙ ​VISTAGE INTERNATIONAL​ – ​www.vistage.com
ASQ Senior Member (1999 – Present)​ ∙ ​AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR QUALITY ​– ​www.assq.org

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COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP
Northeast Iowa Food Bank – Volunteer (2010 – Present)
Main Street Waterloo – Board Member and Volunteer (2008 – 2014)