It’s A Long Way From Battle Creek, Michigan To The NASDAQ Floor

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Data Processing Resources Corporation

When Mary Ellen Weaver, co-founder and CEO of Data Processing Resources Corp., came to us for help in purchasing the ownership position of her inactive and unsupportive business partner, we gave her both the capital to do it and some ideas…

We helped DPRC transition from pure IT staffing into a provider of consultative IT solutions that addressed the business needs of clients. We assisted Mary Ellen in building a strong leadership team to support her – a team that successfully managed a ten-fold growth in revenue and a nationwide expansion, all in less than 4 years. And we helped her team navigate the process of an initial public offering and secondary offerings of equity and debt.
We also recognized and supported investments in the company’s unique culture. Mary Ellen, together with Dave Connell (President of DPRC and an RLH Strategic Advisor for many years thereafter) and their team, set out to build a high-touch but scalable organization. While the company grew 10x, it maintained a much lower rate of employee turnover and longer average employee tenure than peers in the IT services sector.

How? Through a constant focus on the importance of relationships. DPRC’s rigorous hiring process trusted intuition and prioritized cultural fit over industry experience. Senior leadership served as frequent ambassadors to the employees and consultants in the field. Teamwork trumped individual achievement. And by hiring likeminded folks, management made the execution of rapid growth much easier.

Truth In Numbers

Revenue growing from $35 million at the time of RLH’s partnership with Mary Ellen to $450 million five years later
A journey of 4,315 miles from Mary Ellen’s roots in Battle Creek, MI to DPRC’s offices in Newport Beach, CA to the Nasdaq floor in New York City
Leadership by example, as evidenced by DPRC’s IPO road show that included dozens of investor meetings conducted by Mary Ellen while pregnant
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