High Performance Technologies

Company: High Performance Technologies, Inc., Reston, VA
Company Description: Founded in 1991, HPTi provides professional technology services to the federal government. Our core capabilities are computational science, enterprise technology and planning, systems architecture and engineering, secure mission software development, and knowledge discovery and visualization. The company employs over 325 people and enjoys revenues approaching $80 million.
Nomination Category: Individual Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Best Executive – Service Businesses – up to 2,500 Employees

Nomination Title: Eleni Antoniou, Director of Human Resources

Describe for the judges the activities and accomplishments of the nominated executive during the eligibility period (up to 500 words):

For a company that specializes in technology solutions, it takes a talented person
to fill the shoes of the company’s HR director. It also takes strong voice,
character, and judgement to be the only woman serving the firm at the executive
level. For over eleven years, Eleni Antoniou has been serving this role and has
been the humanizing heart of High Performance Technologies, Inc.

Since joining the firm in 1998, Eleni has seen HPTi’s workforce more than
quadruple—thanks in no small part to her constant dedication to improving
workplace satisfaction. Each year, Eleni rededicates her efforts to improving the
health, happiness, and heart of HPTi’s corporate culture. Even as 2008 witnessed
an economic crises, Eleni’s efforts to maintain a stable and trusting workplace
environment held true. Ninety percent of employees believed that HPTi would layoff
employees only as a last resort—up from 60% in 2004. Through Eleni's
leadership, HPTi strives to make each employee feel like a valuable contributor to
the firm’s success.

Since 2008, Eleni’s focus has been on putting efforts into place that improve the
firm’s ability to assess and measure employee engagement in order to reach the
firm’s strategic goals of creating a “Team of One” and maintaining HPTi as an
employee destination. Serving as the “employee voice” to the executive level, Eleni
partners with the executive team to execute HR strategies focused specifically on
employee engagement and employee retention. As employee retention is a key
performance indicator for employee well-being and satisfaction, Eleni implemented
a best practice of assessing workforce engagement and using the results to
achieve higher workforce performance. Eleni and her team gather this information
from multiple sources such as independent surveys of its workforce, employee
focus groups, employee discussion forums, and the “ask a question” board on
HPTi’s intranet.  The information collected is segmented by demographics and
analyzed to identify trends that affect employee satisfaction and to assess the
effectiveness of specific initiatives.  Eleni and her team then prioritize the
results in order to address the most important issues. It is notable that as a result of her
efforts, corporate-wide turnover was reduced by 15% over the last 18 months. Even
more remarkable, HPTi is now leading the government services market in this
area—with a turnover rate of just 9%.

Because of her commitment to HPTi’s employees—and the results she has
achieved—Eleni was honored with the 2008 Human Resource Leadership Award of
Greater Washington in the Strategic Alignment category. She has also been a
finalist for the American Business Award for Human Resources Executive for the
past three years.  Additionally, her efforts have garnered industry attention
for the firm.  In 2008, HPTi won the 15th Annual CARE (Companies As Responsive
Employers) Award, which recognizes outstanding companies that provide a family-
friendly workplace, and the National Capital Business Ethics Award.  Because of
Eleni’s efforts, HPTi was also one of Washington, DC’s Best Workplaces for
Commuters and a Collegegrad.com Top Employer (for the third straight year).

List the URLs (web addresses) of any online news stories, press releases, or other documents that you would like the judges to see that support your entry. IMPORTANT: List each URL on a separate line, begin each URL with http://, and enclose each URL in square brackets. For example, [http://www.yourcompany.com/pressrelease.html]:

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS169146+09-Jun-2008+PRN20080609

Provide a brief biography of the nominated executive (up to 100 words):

Ms. Eleni Z. Antoniou is a proven Human Resources Executive with over 15 years
of experience.  She possesses a dynamic ability to guide a culture within the firm
that is aligned with HPTi’s core values and overall corporate vision.  Ms. Antoniou
imparts best people practices into HPTi’s strategic planning process, and she
drives business initiatives and best practices that support the firm’s bottom
line.  Her experience is derived from employment with both private sector corporations
and federal government contractors.  Ms. Antoniou holds a Master of Arts degree
in Human Resources Management.