Carolyn Kepcher

Carolyn Kepcher Biography

Carolyn Kepcher (b. January 30, 1969 in Westchester, New York) is an American businesswoman who was the Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, and General Manager for the Trump National Golf Club and best known for her regular appearance on the NBC television program The Apprentice. Before her career with Trump ended in August of 2006, she monitored the progress of the contestants on the program and assisted Donald Trump in determining who should be fired.

Kepcher began her foray into business by selling Avon Products door-to-door. Following high school she took a job as a waitress at a Manhattan restaurant, and ultimately attained the role of manager. With little formal education or experience, in 1992, Kepcher secured a position as sales and marketing director of a golf club outside New York City to prepare the property for bank auction. She made a presentation to Trump on how best to use the property and was hired by Trump in 1994, who kept her on as director of sales and marketing. After four years in this capacity, she was named interim general manager after then general manager Karl Hofer was ousted from the organization. Her effective management skills convinced Trump of her ability to lead and later named her the Chief Operating Officer and General Manager of the Trump National Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor, New York, and subsequently the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, overseeing over 250 employees at both locations.

On August 31, 2006, Kepcher's employment at the Trump Organization abruptly ended (Trump says she was fired; she says she quit). Her new-found celebrity status had kept her busy with speaking engagements and endorsements leading to Trump's reported dissatisfaction: "She was no longer focused on (Trump) business," according to the New York Post. While it was announced that there will be no official replacement for Carolyn on The Apprentice, Ivanka Trump took her place as she did in season 5.

Following her departure from the Trump organization, Kepcher became co-founder and CEO of Carolyn & Co., a company created for the purpose of "providing a broad array of services and assistance to career women." The company's tagline is "Finding What Matters...Success in Your Career. Balance in Your Life." Currently in its pre-launch phase, Carolyn & Co. is due to fully launch sometime in 2007.

In 2004, she co-wrote the book Carolyn 101: Business Lessons From the Apprentice's Straight Shooter (ISBN 0-7432-7022-3) based on her business experience.

Carolyn was hired by Bill Gates of Microsoft to star in a new reality show "Ultimate Challenge" to find the next best small-business venture. She was to be one of the 3 judges.

In January, 2007 Carolyn Kepcher provided management skills to the nonprofit world through an affiliation with Graham-Pelton Consulting, Inc. , a national leader in fundraising and nonprofit management.

Kepcher is of Irish descent. She is married to George Kepcher. They have two children together - son Connor and daughter Cassidy - and reside in Ridgefield, Connecticut. She holds an honorary degree from Bryant University.