Drake & Associates, Ltd.

DRAKE & Associates, Ltd. graduates its 18th class of the popular Certificate in Leadership program. For more information, please visit Certificate in Leadership.

Ms. Drake shares her passion for quality people management with both clients and the public through employee development programs such as DRAKE’s Certificate in Leadership program and through public speaking engagements at local and regional HR conferences.

As a business ally of Lowell Hoffman's Global Sourcing Solutions, DRAKE worked to design and create a new and fresh website presence at www.sourcing-solutions.com. The new site features photos from Hoffman's archives, a new logo, color scheme and site organization.

DRAKE cosponsored a Wage and Hour Seminar with the Morrisville Chamber of Commerce. Presented by the North Carolina and US Departments of Labor, this one-day seminar offers the community a chance to learn from and ask questions of the experts. Click here for information...

On June 7, 2005, Mary Lou Drake, SPHR and Margaret Porter, MS presented "On Best Practices: Hiring. Retention. Termination." at the Southern Region, Greensboro and Wake AHEC conference "Moving Leadership Concepts into Management." Click here to view their presentation.

Mary Lou Drake is quoted in the Raleigh New and Observer's article, "Measuring Worth," about determining worth and salary expectations. Click here to read the entire article.

Mary Lou Drake, in partnership with Andee Treinis, presented a Compensation & Benefits Forum on Job Documentation & Benchmark Jobs - "Why do it, what should be included and how to use in market analysis" on March 2, 2005. Hosted by the Raleigh-Wake Human Resources Management Association, a division of the Society for Human Resource Management, discussion included what should be incorporated in job descriptions and why it matters in the big scheme of compensation management; the basic steps in building a job worth hierarchy using market data for benchmark jobs; and slotting jobs when market data is not available. With standing room only, the presentation was a tremendous success. The RWHRMA has asked Mary Lou and Andee to return to present more information on this and other HR topics in the near future.

The 7th semester of our Certificate in Leadership classes began on March 3, 2005 in association with Duke University. Two new members joined our team of veteran CIL facilitators to present an exciting Spring program. To learn more, please click here, or please contact us for Fall dates.

Mary Lou Drake participates as a panelist in the Center for Entrepreneurial Development's "Entrepreneur 04Conference" at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business on October 30, 2004 at 10:00 am. As a panelist with other successful entrepreneurs in the session "Growing Your Company's Infrastructure," Mary Lou presents participants with a human resources talk entitled, "Even Entrepreneurs Need an HR Partner" - 10 things that every new business owner should know about HR, including information on creating shared vision and values, a productive workplace and best employment practices. For more information about this conference, please click here.

DRAKE & Associates, Ltd. launches its fresh new website, www.drakehr.com. In addition to a cosmetic makeover, users on the new website also enjoy easier access to information about DRAKE's many products and services through a reorganization of the presented material. The website is now divided into three primary sections, including, "Human Resources Solutions," "Organizational Development Solutions," and "Our Company." In addition, users can now find the latest company information on the home page under the "Latest News" column. Should you have any recommendations for further improvements or would like to offer feedback on the new website, please contact media@drakehr.com.

Extending our partnership with Duke University, DRAKE and Duke announce a fall Certificate in Leadership Alumni Program entitled, "Enhancing Your Ability to Lead: Identifying, Understanding and Applying Your Five Core Strengths." This program, facilitated by Paul Hilt, is specifically designed for CIL Alumni, extending and building on previous course material.

DRAKE & Associates, Ltd., in partnership with other local and national leaders, chartered the Triangle ESOP Alliance to help private business owners learn and create employee stock ownership plans (ESOP). DRAKE provides culture consulting to help companies successfully communicate the implications, benefits and responsibilities of employees during an ESOP.

In addition, US Representative Cass Ballenger (Rep-NC) recently introduced a bill to promote employee stock ownership plans (ESOP)s by removing barriers in the US tax code. Representative Ballenger stated, "They are broad-based stock ownership plans that, over the past 30 years, have created significant wealth for employees. In many instances, ESOP companies have been the innovators in participatory management practices that respect the individual while maximizing the performance of the company."

DRAKE & Associates, Ltd. announces a computerized pay equity program, the Human Capital Management Tool (HCMT), designed for companies seeking to ensure proper pay equity among employees. Already implemented at companies with +500 employees, DRAKE's HCMT is a proven technology that helps companies manage their recruitment and retention needs.

After more than 10 years in Durham, North Carolina, DRAKE & Associates, Ltd. moved its headquarters to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Our new location on Lake Morehead allows us to offer a convenient and tranquil setting for our local clients in a location conveniently near interstate I-40. Please feel free to stop by for a visit!

Extending our partnership with Duke University, DRAKE and Duke announce a fall Certificate in Leadership Alumni Program entitled, "Managing Conflict Effectively: Negotiation and Mediation for Leaders." This program, facilitated by DRAKE & Associates, is specifically designed for CIL Alumni, extending and building on previous course material.

DRAKE introduces a Human Resources “Employment Kit for North Carolina Small Businesses” which is designed for new and growing companies. Mary Lou Drake, President, advises that the new tool is for those companies looking for a template to help structure their Human Resource function in accordance with local, state and national guidelines. The kit, along with the DRAKE Team expertise, assists users in making sure that their current employment practices are clearly communicated and consistently applied. The client customized Human Resources Start-up Kit contains tools to help with: 1) hiring, motivating and retaining new employees and 2) establishing fair and legally compliant employment policies.

Mary Lou Drake, of Drake & Associates, Ltd. is invited to serve as Panel Moderator for the Mayor’s “Working With Youth – Bringing Out the Best” initiative at the Herald Sun.

DRAKE releases a one page graphic that outlines legal compliance rules for a growing organization. Since the new product is free to its clients and friends, all one needs to do to receive their copy is to make a request via the DRAKE website “Contact” page. Initial responses are most gratifying (i.e., “This is Great; I cannot believe no one has ever done this before.”)

DRAKE and Duke University schedule "Certificate In Leadership" sessions for Spring and Fall of 2003 and contract for multiple additional training sessions during 2004 (see C.I.L. for dates).

DRAKE releases its new PC-based Pay Equity Tool^TM (PET), a management tool for determining equitable staff salaries.

Bob Drake begins a second year as chairman of the Durham Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council and is re-appointed to the Durham Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.