What MRA does

MRA - The Management Association is the nation's largest nonprofit employer association, founded in 1901 and headquartered in Waukesha, Wisconsin, providing comprehensive HR services to more than 5,500 member businesses covering over 1 million employees across seven Midwest states (Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Kentucky, and Indiana). The organization operates a unified platform spanning four service lines: HR Services (24/7 hotline staffed by degreed, certified HR professionals, HR business partners, audits, coaching, employee handbooks, payroll administration, affirmative action planning, organizational development, and conflict resolution); Learning and Development (2,000+ courses via the learn.mranet.org eLearning platform, Principles of Leadership Excellence Plus, HR certifications, conferences, and roundtables); Talent Management (recruiting, reference and background investigations, assessments, employee engagement surveys, retention, outplacement, and executive recruiting); and Total Rewards (national compensation surveys, custom surveys, JobMatch, compensation planning, benefits benchmarking, and total compensation statements). Underlying technology includes the eLearning platform, the CCH Compliance Library, and a comprehensive resource library of toolkits, policies, guides, checklists, forms, and job descriptions.

Revenue is generated primarily through annual membership fees scaled to member business size, supplemented by one-time survey purchases (Benchmark Compensation Survey at $2,399 per report; Policies and Practices Survey at $599-$1,199 per participant; Executive Compensation Survey participation fees), training and certification program fees, and the Partners Program offering members up to 50% savings on partner services. The go-to-market is sales-led and event-driven, leveraging direct outreach (phone: 800.488.4845), website contact forms, six physical offices, conferences, and content marketing (podcasts, webinars, blog, regional earned media). Customer segmentation is horizontal, with SMB as the primary segment alongside enterprise and HR professionals, yielding 95% year-over-year customer retention.

The organization expanded its footprint materially through the May 2023 acquisition of the Employers Resource Association (ERA), adding Ohio and adjacent markets. MRA operates as an independent nonprofit with no parent company, private equity, or venture capital backing, governed under Wisconsin law and led by President and CEO Susan Fronk. The 200+ HR expert staff represents the core of the value proposition, emphasizing human expertise over automated delivery and supporting a differentiated nonprofit association model against for-profit HR service providers.

Name

MRA

Legal name

MRA - The Management Association, Inc.

Website

https://mranet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1901

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

MRA - The Management Association is the nation's largest nonprofit employer association, delivering HR services, training, talent management, and total rewards consulting to 5,500+ member businesses covering over 1 million employees across seven Midwest states through an annual membership model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

HR Services and Employer Association

NAICS

Human Resources Consulting Services (541612), Employment Placement Agencies and Executive Search Services (56131), Professional Employer Organizations (561330), Temporary Help Services (561320)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Employment Agencies (7361), Services-Help Supply Services (7363), Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Vendor Management System (VMS) & MSP-Led Contractor Programs (BPACAGAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Disability & Leave Administration (STD/LTD/FMLA/Paid Leave) (HLAEALAM)

Keywords

• HR services platform
• Employer association membership
• Talent management solutions
• Compensation benchmarking surveys
• Leadership training programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Waukesha

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Annual Membership Fees: MRA operates as a nonprofit employer association with annual membership fees. Membership pricing is based on business size and provides access to comprehensive HR solutions including services, professional development, talent management, and total rewards consulting. This is the primary revenue stream.
2. Survey Reports and Data Products: Sale of compensation survey reports including National Executive Compensation Survey ($2,399/person), Benchmark Compensation Survey ($599-2,399/person), and National Policies & Practices Survey ($599-1,199/person). These are one-time purchases of data products.
3. Training and Certification Programs: Revenue from professional development courses, certifications, and training programs including classroom, virtual, and on-demand formats.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

MRA is a nonprofit employer association that provides integrated HR services, professional development and training, talent management, and total rewards consulting to member businesses through an annual membership subscription. Its offerings include a 24/7 HR Hotline, HR Business Partners, audits, employee handbooks, payroll administration, affirmative action planning, organizational development, recruiting, executive search, compensation and benefits surveys, leadership training, and an extensive online resource library. Members also gain access to specialized compensation survey data products sold on a per-person basis.

Product overview

MRA—The Management Association is the nation's largest nonprofit employer association, providing a comprehensive, integrated HR services platform to over 5,500 businesses with a 95% customer retention rate. The platform operates as a unified membership-based model combining multiple service areas: HR Services (including 24/7 HR Hotline, HR Business Partners, Audits, Coaching, Employee Handbooks, Organizational Development, Payroll Administration, and Conflict Resolution), Professional Development/Training (with over 2,000 courses, Leadership Excellence programs, and HR Certifications), Talent Management (Recruiting, Background Checks, Assessments, Engagement Surveys, Retention, Outplacement, and Executive Search), and Total Rewards (Surveys, Compensation Planning, Benefits Benchmarking, and Compensation Statements). The suite includes specialized survey products (National Executive Compensation Survey, Benchmark Compensation Survey, and National Policies & Practices Survey), a Resource Library of downloadable tools, CCH Compliance Library, Conferences & Events, and the Partners Program. The organization delivers services through one affordable annual membership model with local experts across offices in Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, and Ohio, supported by 200 HR experts on staff.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 24/7 HR Hotline Round-the-clock hotline staffed by degreed, certified HR professionals with 8-10 years of experience, providing trusted guidance on any HR issue on-demand for MRA member employers.
• HR Business Partners HR experts with at least 15 years of experience supporting member businesses with exact skills needed, available part-time, full-time, on-site or remote for the timeframe required.
• Affirmative Action Planning Expert services providing compliance expertise and peace of mind for federal and state affirmative action requirements.
• HR Audits Evaluation of HR functions for compliance and competitive best practices, delivered to member employers.
• Coaching Professional coaching services preparing high-potential employees for new responsibilities.
• Employee Handbooks and Policies Review and update of existing employee policies or partnership to create new employee handbooks tailored to organizational needs.
• Organizational Development Services to understand employee perceptions, assess needs, and plan organizational strategies for growth.
• Employee Payroll Administration Payroll processing services or connections to payroll providers for member employers.
• Conflict Resolution and Investigations Third-party perspective and solutions for workplace conflict resolution and investigations.
• Professional Development and Training Best-in-class training programs with over 2,000 courses delivered by experienced experts, including in-person, virtual, and on-demand formats covering Leadership, HR, and professional certifications.
• Principles of Leadership Excellence Plus MRA's premier leadership series for professional development of leaders at all levels.
• HR Certifications and Training Certification guidance and training to develop skills and advance careers in HR, including test preparation and staying current on new regulations.
• Recruiting Recruiting services available as full cycle or a la carte options to deliver top talent at a fraction of the cost.
• Reference and Background Investigations Background check and reference verification services enabling hiring with confidence.
• Assessment Services Powerful insights to build effective teams through assessment tools.
• Employee Insight Services Employee engagement surveys and consulting services.
• Retention Services Services for retaining top talent and building a powerful workforce.
• Outplacement and Career Transitions Career transition services for separated employees.
• Executive Recruiting Filling leadership roles with top talent through executive search services.
• Compensation Planning Building sound pay structures based on industry-leading data and surveys.
• Benefits Benchmarking Creating and communicating the total value offered to employees through benefits packages.
• Total Compensation Statements Communicating complete compensation and benefits packages to employees.
• 2026 National Executive Compensation Survey Comprehensive report covering executive pay including base salary, variable pay, target incentives, benefits, perks, and stock ownership, sold on a per-person basis.
• 2026 Benchmark Compensation Survey Comprehensive wage and salary report containing core jobs in key business areas from staff levels through executives, sold on a per-person basis.
• 2026 National Policies and Practices Survey Survey covering paid time off, pay practices, recruitment and more. Data reported by employee group with company size breakdowns, sold on a per-person basis.
• Resource Library Comprehensive online library of downloadable HR resources including toolkits, sample policies, how-to guides, checklists, forms/letters, and job descriptions that can be modified to fit organizational needs.
• CCH Compliance Library Exclusive resource for members to stay informed and compliant with federal and state regulatory requirements.
• Conferences and Events Events featuring top industry experts discussing the hottest topics and trends in HR, including Compensation Conference.
• Executive and Professional Roundtables Learning, sharing, and networking opportunities with peers through roundtable discussions.
• Speakers Bureau Connecting organizations with industry-leading expert speakers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 95% year-over-year customer retention rate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Employers Resource Association (ERA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2023MRA acquired the Employers Resource Association (ERA) effective May 1, 2023. Both organizations support business HR resources and consulting. The acquisition combines resources and expertise to enhance services for members across several states including Ohio, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Kentucky, and Indiana, creating strategic growth and collaboration.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cascade Employers Association: Pacific Northwest nonprofit employer association offering HR services, training, compensation surveys, and recruiting support to member employers. Directly comparable mission, structure, and service mix to MRA.
• Employers Council: Colorado-based nonprofit employer association providing HR consulting, training, surveys, and compliance services to employers. Operates a near-identical membership model to MRA in a different region, making it a direct comparand.
• Employers Association of the Northeast (EANE): Regional nonprofit employer association serving Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont with HR consulting, training, and compliance services. Same employer-association model as MRA, different geography.
• WorldatWork: Nonprofit professional association focused on total rewards (compensation, benefits, wellbeing). Comparable to MRA's Total Rewards practice, including survey/benchmarking products, training, and certification programs.
• ERC (Employers Resource Council): Ohio-based nonprofit employer association providing HR consulting, training, and surveys (distinct from the ERA that MRA acquired). Directly comparable regional employer-association model.

Broad incumbents

• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management): Largest global HR professional membership organization. Overlaps with MRA's HR certification, training, and resource library offerings but at national scale and without the regional consulting/service delivery footprint.
• Insperity: Public PEO providing HR outsourcing, payroll, benefits, and compliance for SMBs. Comparable buyer (SMB employers needing outsourced HR) and overlapping services (payroll, benefits admin, compliance, HR advisory).
• TriNet: Public PEO focused on SMB HR outsourcing including payroll, benefits, and risk/compliance. Targets similar SMB employer segment as MRA's primary customer base.
• Paychex: Large public payroll and HR services provider for SMBs. Overlaps with MRA's payroll administration, HR advisory, and benefits services at significantly larger scale.
• ADP: Largest global HR/payroll/benefits outsourcer. Competes with MRA's payroll administration and HR services for the same SMB-to-mid-market employer buyers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/MRAorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/MRAmeansHR
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mra---the-management-association
• Instagraminstagram.com/mra_the_management_association
• Xx.com/mra_hr_pros

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MRA