Women of Excellence

member photo

Carole K. Richards

Title: President and Founder
Industry: Educational Service
Type of Organization: Educational Service
Major Product/Service: Providing Richards Learning Systems ® multi-sensory systematic language arts curriculum and providing individualized in-home tutoring to individuals and school districts with a specialty in learning disabilities
Expertise: Ms. Richards has over 46 years education experience and has been with the current company for 31 years. She provides tutors who work with children and adults with learning disabilities. Ms. Richards created a reading program for children. She also started a nonprofit in 1992.
Geographic Area of Distribution: Ohio
University/Degree: B.S., Elementary Education, Miami University, Ohio, 1971
Born: Cleveland, Ohio
Hobbies/Sports: Travel, tennis, cooking, sewing
Spouse: John Kusik
Married: February 15, 2005
Children: Linnea Richards Smith, Blair Richards
Work History: Ms. Richards founded NCES in 1985. She then founded the Creative Education Institute (CEI) in 1992, with a mission to effect change through improved literacy. Previously, Ms. Richards served as a school teacher in Cleveland.
Honors & Awards: NorTech Innovation Award, Cleveland, Ohio; Intellectual Property Innovation, RICHARDS READ Systematic Language; Entrepreneur 360 List, Entrepreneur Magazine; US Chamber of Commerce Small Business Blue Ribbon Award, 3x; Ohio Weatherhead 100, Weatherhead School of Business, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, 5x winner; National Tutoring Association President's Award; Professional in Residence, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio; Top 10 Award, National Association of Business Owners, 2x; NEO Success Award, Inside Business Magazine, Cleveland Ohio, 2x
Published Works: Richards Learning Systems®; How to Break the ETR Code, Understand IQ and Achievement Tests, A Workbook & Reference Guide for Parents and Educators; "Tastes Good and Healthy Too Cookbook (allergy-free cooking)"; Monthly column, 4 local newspapers
Career Accomplishments: Ms. Richards grew NCES from a dining room business to a service with 300 professional tutors. She founded the Creative Education Institute (CEI) to improve literacy. In a partnership with the Cleveland Metropolitan Schools, CEI is raising funds to create a series of short episodic videos that will train teachers to teach reading at the same time children learn to read. This video project is based on Richards Learning Systems Phonics program published 25 years ago.