PORTLAND, Ore. - TelAve -- Sixteen years after founding Ruby_®, the premier provider of live virtual receptionist and chat services for small businesses—CEO & Founder Jill Nelson is retiring and will be replaced by incoming CEO Kate Winkler, effective September 1st, 2019. Winkler, a five-time C-Suite executive, brings extensive knowledge in customer experience, software and telecommunications, which provide the foundation for Ruby's highly-personalized services. Winkler will assume the day-to-day leadership of the company as well as join the Board of Directors.

Ruby was started in 2003 as a four-person business providing remote receptionist and administrative support out of a tiny Portland studio. Under Nelson's leadership, it has grown into a thriving company serving more than 10,000 small businesses across North America, regularly recognized nationally as one of the best places to work in the US, and today employs more than 600 employees with offices in both Portland and Kansas City. Nelson will continue to serve on Ruby's Board of Directors.

"It has been my distinct pleasure to help tens of thousands of small businesses grow—powered by the friendly and personal Ruby service our customers rely on every day to run their business," said Jill Nelson, founder of Ruby Receptionists. "I am so proud of our team and all they have achieved. While I remain active with Ruby as a board member, I know Kate will continue to be an incredible advocate for small business, and I am honored to welcome her as the new CEO to lead Ruby through the next stage of growth."

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Winkler brings over 25 years of experience in technology, telecom, and finance and has helped over 75 companies build and capture over $4Bn in enterprise value. She joins Ruby most recently from Piper Jaffray, where she served as Managing Director of its Technology Group. Her previous roles include Director of the Technology Media & Telecom Group at Houlihan Lokey, and CEO roles at both Jentro and Centerpost Communications, Inc. Prior to that, she served as CFO and COO for BEZ Systems. Winkler had previously served as an advisor to the Ruby Board of Directors.

"After a thorough, nationwide selection process, the Board of Directors is delighted that Kate will lead Ruby and build on the momentum that Jill created," said Jon Seeber, Ruby Board Member and General Partner at Updata. "Finding a successor who could follow Jill was a challenge we took very seriously, and we were focused on finding someone with the same keen mindset.  Kate is a seasoned, visionary leader and has transformed virtually every company she's led—forging great relationships with customers, employees, and partners to deliver exceptional results. She stood apart as a leader with an extraordinary ability to connect Ruby's vision, mission and values with the strategy and execution we need to take the company to the next level."

"I've had the pleasure of working with some of the best-run businesses in the world, and what they have in common is a focus on delivering real value to customers, which is what Ruby is most known for," said Winkler. "We have an incredibly talented team at Ruby that is focused on innovation for our customers and finding new growth opportunities. The potential to support the millions of small business owners that make up the very fabric of our economy is humbling and exciting. I'm deeply honored to be entrusted to follow in the footsteps of a truly iconic CEO to steer Ruby's path with personalized services and purpose-built technologies that help our customers grow their business and build great relationships with their clients."

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For more details, please see this video of Ruby Founder, Jill Nelson, and incoming CEO, Kate Winkler discussing the transition.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuK_pRyYEkY



About Ruby Receptionists:

Ruby cultivates great relationships—from first impressions to lasting loyalty— between more than 10,000 small services businesses and their clients. Our proprietary, leading-edge technology empowers our live virtual receptionists and chat specialists to deliver personalized experiences, while allowing small businesses to spend more time serving clients and growing their business. Headquartered in Portland, Ore., Ruby has been helping small businesses grow since 2003 and has gained national recognition for its success being named in the FORTUNE magazine Best Small Company to Work For in the U.S.; Inc Best Workplaces; PEOPLE Companies that Care, and Great Places to Work rankings year after year. To learn more, visit callruby.com or experience Ruby's virtual receptionist services for yourself by calling 1-866-611-7829.