Employers Resource Association

What Employers Resource Association does

Employers Resource Association (ERA) is a private, Ohio-based professional membership association serving HR professionals and the organizations that employ them. Founded in 1946 and operating from offices in Columbus (headquarters at 300 East Broad St., Suite 550) and Cincinnati (1200 Edison Drive), ERA delivers its services to over 1,200 member organizations across the Ohio Valley, with additional event presence in Kentucky and virtual programming.

The association organizes its offering around four pillars: Learning & Development (training programs, customized in-house sessions, and curricula for executives, managers, supervisors, and emerging leaders, including DEI and legal compliance tracks); HR Consulting (compensation projects, HR compliance audits such as affirmative action, FMLA, and I-9 checkups, employee handbook development, and workplace investigations); Surveys (360 Development, Employee Engagement, HR Policy, and Compensation Surveys); and the HR Institute, which provides structured education including the Institute of HR Mastery, individual development pathways, cohort development, and leadership in HR programs. Supporting offerings include HR Central (a 24/7 resource library), regional roundtables, HR On-Demand (recruiting, consultant directory, hotline), a Speakers Bureau, an HR Job Board, and an ERA Insight newsletter.

ERA generates revenue through an annual membership subscription that unlocks discounts on training and consulting, supplemented by per-seat paid training and roundtables priced from $85 to $595, event registrations, and fee-based consulting engagements. Distribution is regional and sales-led, combining direct membership acquisition, in-person events at the Cincinnati and Columbus offices and in Kentucky, virtual instructor-led training, and an online store. The organization is led by President Michael Denisoff, governed by a Board of Directors, and operates with a staff headcount of 11–50. There is no public disclosure of revenue, no external funding, and no AI or technology product layer; the business is fundamentally a professional-services and content association.

Name

Employers Resource Association

Legal name

Employers Resource Association

Website

https://erahr.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Employers Resource Association is a private Ohio-based professional membership association, founded in 1946, that delivers HR consulting, training, surveys, and peer roundtables to over 1,200 member organizations across the Ohio Valley.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

HR Consulting and Training Services

NAICS

Human Resources Consulting Services (541612)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Workforce Analytics & HR Metrics Advisory (BPACAJAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Benefits Administration & Total Rewards Outsourcing (BPACAKAE), Employee Engagement, Surveys & EX (BPACAPAJ), HR Compliance & Policy Administration Outsourcing (incl. regulatory reporting) (BPACAKAK)

Keywords

• HR membership association
• HR consulting services
• Training and development
• Compensation surveys
• HR compliance support

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership providing access to HR resources, consulting, surveys, training programs, and discounted services. Trusted by over 1200 organizations.
2. Training Programs and Courses: Revenue from instructor-led training courses, workshops, and leadership development programs offered both virtually and in-person. Price points range from $85 for roundtables to $595 for multi-session courses.
3. HR Consulting Services: Fee-based consulting engagements including compensation projects, HR compliance audits, affirmative action plans, FMLA checkups, and workplace investigations.
4. Event Tickets and Roundtables: Paid registration for professional development roundtables, seminars, and networking events held in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Kentucky.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Employers Resource Association (ERA) is a membership-based HR professional association that sells annual memberships giving HR teams access to a 24/7 HR resource library (HR Central), consulting engagements (compensation, compliance, employee handbooks, workplace investigations), training programs, surveys, and an HR Institute for structured education. Members pay annual dues plus fees for individual training courses, roundtables, and consulting projects, and the organization is trusted by over 1,200 member organizations.

Product overview

Employers Resource Association (ERA) is a membership-based HR professional association offering a comprehensive suite of services organized around four core pillars: Learning & Development (training programs and in-house sessions), HR Consulting (compensation, compliance, and HR core practice services), Surveys (360-degree, engagement, policy, and compensation surveys), and the HR Institute (structured education and career advancement programs). Supporting offerings include HR On-Demand services, HR Central (24/7 resource library), regional HR Roundtables, and a Speakers Bureau. ERA serves over 1200 member organizations through annual membership, providing resources, expert advice, and discounted fees to help HR professionals stay current, compliant, and competent.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ERA Membership

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WorldatWork: WorldatWork is a nonprofit professional association focused on total rewards, compensation, and benefits, offering education, certification, and compensation survey products that directly compete with ERA's Compensation Surveys and compensation consulting offerings. Both serve HR professionals seeking compensation benchmarking and total rewards expertise.
• HRCI (HR Certification Institute): HRCI provides HR certifications (PHR, SPHR, GPHR) and continuing education resources, overlapping with ERA's HR Institute and certification-related training. Many ERA-affiliated professionals (e.g., SPHR, SHRM-SCP holders) interface with HRCI as an alternative or complementary credentialing body.

Broad incumbents

• Trinet: TriNet is a national PEO offering HR consulting, benefits administration, payroll, and compliance support to small and mid-sized businesses. It overlaps with ERA's HR consulting and compliance practice by delivering bundled HR advisory as part of a co-employment arrangement.
• Insperity: Insperity is a national PEO providing HR outsourcing, benefits administration, and workforce management to SMB and mid-market employers. It competes with ERA's HR On-Demand and consulting services by bundling HR advisory inside an employment administrative relationship.
• Mercer: Mercer is a global HR consulting firm offering compensation surveys, benefits administration, and HR advisory—directly overlapping with ERA's Compensation Surveys and consulting engagements, especially for larger Ohio employers seeking benchmarking data.
• SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management): SHRM is the dominant national professional membership association for HR practitioners, offering training, certification (SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP), resources, and advocacy that directly overlap with ERA's HR Institute, HR Central, and training programs. SHRM is the national incumbent against which ERA's regional Ohio-focused offering competes for member mindshare.
• Robert Half: Robert Half is a global staffing and HR consulting firm that operates a training and professional development arm (Protiviti, Robert Half Management Resources). It overlaps with ERA's HR consulting, recruiting, and management training services, particularly for mid-market employers in Ohio.

Regional players

• Paycor: Paycor is a Cincinnati-headquartered HR and payroll technology company serving SMB and mid-market employers with HCM, payroll, and talent management. Although a software vendor rather than an association, Paycor targets the same Ohio-based HR professional buyer that ERA serves, and competes for HR technology and advisory budget.
• Ohio Chamber of Commerce: The Ohio Chamber of Commerce is a statewide business membership organization providing HR and employment-law-related resources, advocacy, and events to Ohio employers. It targets a similar buyer (Ohio HR and business leaders) with overlapping training, events, and compliance content.
• Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber: The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber is a regional business membership and economic development organization serving Greater Cincinnati employers. It competes with ERA for member relationships among Cincinnati HR professionals and offers some overlapping training and networking services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/the_ERAHR

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Employers Resource Association