“Who’s your favorite superhero?” No matter your age or gender, this question is commonly asked. It’s an ice-breaker of sorts—a response can tell a lot about someone’s personality and values. There are the typical, almost obvious answers—Batman, Superman, etc. Maybe you’d have a Marvel enthusiast throw in Iron Man for good measure. Or you could have someone aptly choose Wonder Woman as their favorite, what with this year’s blockbuster film making great strides in its genre. Regardless of who you choose the idea behind it is the same: who is someone you look up to, someone who can do anything incredibly. Superheroes are often thought of as being larger-than-life, having these unbelievable powers and instincts. They make great characters because their attributes are so incredible and uncommon. Yet, what we often forget is that we actually have superheroes around us every day, in real life—and at Rho. Between conducting clinical trials, giving keynote speeches at conferences, and participating in local philanthropy events, employees at Rho consistently go above and beyond. So, it comes as no surprise that we showcase our superhero staff when the time is right.

This past September, Rho celebrated being named to the Triangle Business Journal’s “Best Places to Work” list for 2017. The local publication holds nominations each year and honors the winners at a celebratory luncheon. Rho has been fortunate to receive this honor for 6 consecutive years, and each year Rho’s attendees choose their favorite hero-inspired shirt to wear. “When I was asked what character I wanted to be, at first I thought it was silly,” said Lane Bissett, a Business Development Associate with Rho. “Of course, I picked Wonder Woman like all the other ladies, but when I put on the shirt, it hit me.” Lane said that seeing herself alongside her Rho teammates, all wearing their chosen superhero tees, put an idea in her head. “We all are so different, but we all have these qualities that make us work great as a team. Representing Rho as this unified group of people felt really surreal.” Much like superhero squads in the movies, our team at Rho consists of many different personalities, strengths and talents. Whether it be a Clinical Research Associate or a Clinical Project Manager, every Rho employee has the opportunity to showcase their skill and knowledge while also learning from others. It’s a kind of collaboration that not only works but can be hard to find.

It’s this idea that makes Rho special—this unification of people and personalities towards one purpose and goal.  At Rho, that core purpose is to improve health, extend life, and enhance quality of life through corporate and research excellence. Each employee who represented Rho at the Triangle Business Journal Luncheon came from different sectors, holding different positions within the organization. “I was really proud when the announcers mentioned how Rho has won for the past 6 years,” said Joyce Lau, Research Associate. “It made us all feel kind of invincible,” she continued, “and it made me realize that there is a reason we can call ourselves superheroes here. We definitely had the most spirit, and it showed!” Throughout those 6 years, Rho has continued to see tremendous growth and opportunity, especially when it comes to adding more superheroes to the team. “When I came to Rho, the first thing I noticed was how great the people are,” Lane added. “Every day I feel lucky to work with the people I do, and it makes me excited to think of new hires joining and getting to see how amazing we are.”

Shortly after Rho was honored at TBJ’s luncheon, we also celebrated our fiscal year end. At the celebration, employees were able to enjoy delicious food, interact with our CEOs and founders, and take home some pretty awesome Rho backpacks. “It felt like an early Christmas,”  said Joyce. “It just goes to show how much the people at Rho really care about you, really going above and beyond what you’d expect.” The year end celebration was a superhero convention it its own way—all our phenomenal heroes in one place.

It’s not just the luncheons and gatherings that make us excited and proud to wear the title of “SuperheRho.” Just like the characters in comic books, every day brings a new challenge to face and every day we get to use our strengths to rise to the occasion. Recognition can be nice, but that’s not why superheroes do what they do. There’s an internal push for excellence and success, which Rho mirrors in our core values. So when we get asked who our favorite superhero is, chances are it’s someone here at Rho.