Business name: HR Alliance Inc.
Owner: Carolyn Olson.
Address: 11115 N.E. 14th St., Suite 103.
What the business does: Andrew Barden, chief strategy officer, said HR Alliance acts like a human resources department for small businesses, helping them find workers, handle payroll, provide pre-tax benefits and comply with the law. Its staffing services, which include finding temporary or permanent employees for clients, have been used by both small employers and Fortune 100 companies such as New York Life Insurance, Barden said. The company also offers insurance and retirement plans to self-employed individuals, who can buy in at group rates.
o Each week, The Columbian offers a brief snapshot of an interesting Clark County business. Send ideas to Mary Ricks: mary.ricks@columbian.com; fax 360-735-4598; phone 360-735-4550.
How has the economy affected your business: HR Alliance started 14 years ago with a focus on serving construction contractors. That worked well during the housing boom, but when home construction began dropping off several years ago the company shifted to serve other industries, Barden said. It now offers services for a broad range of companies, including financial services, health care, real estate and trades groups. At a time when unemployment among veterans is a national concern, HR Alliance is preparing to work with troops returning from Iraq to help place them in jobs.
Greatest challenge: Carolyn Olson, the CEO of HR Alliance, said her greatest challenge has been convincing accountants with HR Alliance Inc. to bring services to their clients that go beyond payroll.
