By Lisa Breslin
Fixing broken things has always been Richele Taylor’s modus operandi. “If I see a need, especially a need that requires digging deep, I’m definitely in,” she said. And while her leadership in the South Carolina Medical Association won’t fix health care, she has aligned herself with physician leaders to improve the state’s health care and the business of medicine in a profound way.
Taylor, CEO/CLO of the South Carolina Medical Association and Fulcrum Risk Solutions, proudly traces the fixer in her to her parents. “They never answered my questions without challenging me to figure out the answers first,” she explained.
They would offer guidance, but, inevitably, they left solutions to her with comments like, “I look forward to learning how you answered that question.”
As a result, Taylor was, and still is, inquisitive. Her leadership at Fulcrum and with the SCMA has tones like those of her parents as she encourages colleagues, “I look forward to you bringing that idea back with more context.”
With a background in employment law and legislative policy, Taylor served as chief legal counsel to Govs. Henry McMaster and Nikki Haley. She also served in Haley’s cabinet as director of the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation, which houses the state Occupational Safety and Health Administration program and professional licensing.
Before working in the policy arena, Taylor spent more than a decade at a national employment law firm providing day-to-day advice and litigation support concerning a variety of employment issues, such as discrimination and sexual and other types of harassment; Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) violations; wage and hour issues; OSHA violations; and other matters.
Taylor’s leadership style often yields big and small wins for the SCMA. Those wins are “always collaborative” because, as she noted, “success is never a one-person win.”
The most recent collaborative SCMA “win” unfolded in late October when it hosted its first virtual town hall for members in an effort to increase physician engagement in the association’s policy-making process, which also drives legislative priorities.
“It was incredibly informal and informative,” Taylor said. “More than 60 doctors showed up to talk about policy for two hours. It was physician-led and filled with doctors’ ideas – that was the beauty of it.”
“During my time with SCMA leadership, I’ve had the ability to observe several individuals in the leadership of our organization, but Richele is cut from a different cloth,” said SCMA President Dr. Mayes DuBose. “It has been my privilege to watch her work and lead; she does it with skill but also with an ease and grace which cannot be taught.”
Taylor’s father, Richard Keel, and her faith inspire her.
“When he left his career after 40 years, they gave him a party and thanked him for being such a supportive person,” Taylor said. “Co-workers also gave him an award for being a Wise One (who loved to kayak).”
“To leave and have employees know that I am there to help them and have them see me as a person, I want to complete my work with a company that way,” said Taylor. “I’d also like to be known as a good representative of my Christian faith, as someone who did what her faith called her to do.”
Richele Taylor
The South Carolina Medical Association
132 Westpark Blvd., Columbia
803-798-6207
scmedical.org
