MICHAEL STRAND, SPHR: Specialist, Executive and Staff Compensation

Quote:
“My job is to give the customer the truth. The data is what the data is.”

Mantra/Philosophy:
“You can’t solve the problem if you don’t know the questions.”

Association Strategies knows that paying people fairly motivates staff and helps keep them in your camp -- and out of your competitors’. That’s why we have Michael Strand.

With more than 30 years of human resources experience, Mike has designed and implemented compensation systems, employee retention programs and strategic “golden handcuff” initiatives. But Mike’s trademark is his unique approach to compensation surveys.

Mike mines reams of published data and conducts industry surveillance to deliver reliable conclusions and concrete, paint-by-number solutions tailored to each individual organization. Over the decades, he has studied hundreds of clients, from small associations with a handful of staff to the 45,000-member union of Los Angeles County employees. Regardless of size, each client report includes a complete audit trail of the data and a customized booklet on activating recommendations. Mike presents his findings as far up the chain as necessary, reporting to the board of directors, testifying to government officials or holding press conferences.

Mike’s expertise and versatility – he also helps organizations classify positions for the Fair Labor Standards Act – has won a loyal repeat clientele that returns for updates year after year.

Mike teaches compensation and other HR subjects at Northern Virginia Community College and Prince George’s Community College. Additionally, he wrote a chapter (by-lined) in the book Stress-free Performance Appraisals by Sharon Armstrong and Madelyn Appelbaum (2003, Career Press) and wrote two chapters (by-lined) titled “Compensation” and “Benefits” in the newly published book The Essential HR Handbook by Sharon Armstrong and Barbara Mitchell (2008, Career Press).

For 15 years Mike was the human resources director for four different organizations ranging in size from 600 to 4,000 employees. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Toledo and a Masters Degree from the George Washington University School of Business.