Mary Carroll Murphy

Mary Carroll Murphy, an acclaimed business owner and former executive at a Fortune 500 company, is from Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. She was born and raised in Western Massachusetts. In 1990, Digital Equipment Corporation relocated her to Bedford, New Hampshire, to lead marketing initiatives for their revolutionary integrated office systems.

Throughout her illustrious career, she has worked across Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, California, and even internationally. Over the decades, she has earned numerous prestigious awards for her work in the information technology and financial services sectors.

Presently, Murphy heads an innovative software company and owns extensive land with her spouse in Francestown, New Hampshire. They have built their "forever" home, Black Shoals, by the picturesque Piscataquog River.

Current Roles

Cost Cures

Murphy serves as the CEO of Cost Cures, located in Peterborough, New Hampshire. Founded in 2024, this pioneering software company aims to enhance transparency in pricing for dental, healthcare, and vision services, with a focus on reducing healthcare costs nationwide. The company is developing a specialized AI-based database and search functionality to help users find low-cost self-pay, cash, or negotiated prices for various medical services across the country. Moreover, she and her team are currently enhancing their offerings with telemedicine and medically trained concierge services, accessible through the company's website and a dedicated mobile application.

Black Shoals Farm

In 2022, Murphy and her partner started Black Shoals Farm, a non-GMO, chemical-free farm in Francestown, New Hampshire, dedicated to sustainable agriculture. The farm produces fruits, vegetables, edible flowers, and both medicinal and gourmet herbs.

Career History

Charles Schwab

In 2011, Murphy was chosen as the first Charles Schwab Independent Branch franchisee in the nation. She expanded her franchise significantly over ten years, managing nearly $1 billion in assets by early 2022. In recognition of her trailblazing work as a franchisee, Charles Schwab later instituted the Charles Schwab Champion Award. She sold her successful franchise in mid-2022.

Earlier Roles

Murphy began her career in 1979 with what is now Eversource, working in Western Massachusetts and Connecticut. She quickly moved into the insurance industry, realizing early on its access to advanced technologies, and in 1982, she secured a role as a Technical Analyst at ITT/Hartford Insurance Group. She swiftly rose to Assistant Systems Manager and later to Director at a Hartford Insurance Group subsidiary. From 1982 until 2001, she climbed the sales and marketing ladder to senior management positions at various high-tech companies, including Digital Equipment Corporation, Lotus Development Corporation, IBM Corporation, and several technology startups. IBM/Lotus Development transferred her to Europe to lead a global division that collaborated with governments, large telecommunications companies, and Internet Service Providers to implement public Internet and email applications globally.

After a break from technology in 2001 to care for her ailing parents, she obtained a master's degree from Rivier University in 2004. Briefly, she taught at Manchester High School West in Bedford, New Hampshire. In 2006, she transitioned back to financial services, becoming a financial advisor with UBS Financial Services. By 2008, she was an independent financial advisor and career agent with MassMutual.

Academic Background

Bridgewater State College

gewater State College in Plymouth County, Massachusetts, in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in communications, arts, and sciences. She was an active class officer, swim team member, and forensic and debate team champion, and she also completed minors in psychology and English studies.

Rivier University

She achieved an M.Ed. with high distinction from Rivier University in Nashua, New Hampshire, in 2004. This private Catholic university is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education and approved by the New Hampshire Department of Education.

Awards

Murphy's career includes significant recognitions, such as the DEC 100 and Decathlon sales awards from Digital Equipment Corporation. She was also part of a team that significantly advanced the global adoption of email in the early 1990s, earning an Electronic Mail Association Leadership Award in 1992. While at IBM/Lotus Development Corporation, she received the Lotus Achievers Award in 1994 and the Summit Award for Manager of the Year in 1995. As a financial advisor, she earned two UBS Leaders Circle Awards for asset growth. She received multiple Peer Excellence Awards, the prestigious ICON Award, and the Champion Award from Charles Schwab for pioneering their Independent Branch Service model.

Philanthropic Endeavors

Together with her spouse, she regularly contributes to local organizations, including the Francestown Old Meetinghouse and Monadnock Community Hospital, where she is a member of the Parmalee Society. In 2020, they donated an 11-acre riverfront conservation easement to the Francestown Land Trust. Murphy has also volunteered at various community events and sponsored fundraisers for several local organizations.

Board Memberships

Since January 2016, she has been a trustee at Rivier University, supporting the institution's academic, service, and business operations. She also served on the Board of Trustees of St. Joseph Hospital from 2016 to 2019.

Personal Life & Interests

Mary Carroll Murphy grew up in Hampden County, Massachusetts, and moved to Bedford, New Hampshire, over three decades ago. She lives in Francestown, New Hampshire, with her husband, a former chemical engineer. The couple shares a passion for Belgian Malinois dogs and owns seven Jubilee Orpington chickens named after her closest friends and sister-in-law. She enjoys gardening, kayaking, sport shooting, and cooking, bringing a holistic approach to both her professional and personal life.