A longtime Oxford resident has been recognized for her efforts to grow her family-run business into a global corporation.
Lori Blaker, president and chief operating officer of Technical Training, Inc., has been named a 2008 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the services category. The award was recently announced at a ceremony in Dearborn.
She was among eight award recipients, but was the only one chosen for services (out of three finalists).
E&Y is a leader across the world in providing assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services.
Blaker first found out about the award in March when she was nominated by Linda Earhart. She submitted a required essay, was interviewed twice (the second time after she was named as a finalist) and then was named an award recipient.
‘The whole experience was just wonderful for me and for my employees,? Blaker said. ‘I tell them that I may have been the one nominated, but I accepted on behalf of the entire company.?
Earlier this summer, TTi received an award from Corp Magazine as one of ‘Michigan’s Economic Bright Spot? companies. In the past, TTi has been recognized as one of Michigan’s fastest-growing, privately-held companies and is ranked by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council as being in the ‘Top 25 Woman-Run Businesses in the USA.?
TTi, which began in 1976 and produced technical training manuals for the automotive industry, has since become a worldwide company that provides training systems design, e-learning and outsourcing. It also serves customers in financial services and communications. The Rochester Hills-based company has more than 800 employees in the United States, Brazil, Chile, China, Japan, Thailand and Mexico.
Having offices in seven countries makes for a hectic schedule for Blaker. Her day begins by answering e-mail and phone calls from Asia before she heads to her office.
‘My day just flies by and there are never enough hours,? said Blaker, who recently returned to Michigan from a business trip in Asia. ‘I spend quite a bit of time traveling all over the world.?
She estimated that she’s away about 50 percent of the time, which can make it a challenge to keep up with everyone and everything that’s going on worldwide.
The CEO said it took ‘enormous amounts of energy? to build the company up into a global provider of technical training and personnel.
‘It takes determination and a never-give-up attitude,? she said. ‘We’ve had growing pains, and will continue to have them as we move along. It’s natural. But the key is that we’ve learned from mistakes and gotten stronger each step of the way.?
It also helps to surround youself with a strong team of professionals.
‘When you have the right team, and the right people in place, everything just clicks and works…It makes it easy and fun to get up and go to work when you’re working alongside people like that,? Blaker said.
Winning this award is a validation of all Blaker’s hard work and efforts. She hopes the company can continue to expand its services.
‘I like Lori’s sincerity and how proud she is of her company,? said E&Y program coordinator Holly Estes. ‘She always talks of how she feels she already won since she’s reached goals she wanted for the company.?
TTi plans to launch its first workforce program in Mexico in January 2009.
For Blaker, business is more than just paperwork and profits. She enjoys working with kids in other countries that don’t have the same opportunities American kids do and teaching them a skill.
‘It’s a real passion for me,? she said.