Managing Partners

		David W. Drinnon David W. Drinnon is founder and Managing Partner of Design Management Alliance. His diversity of experiences throughout his working career provided the inspiration and foundation to build a full service performance-based consulting firm that delivers a range of services to manufacturing, healthcare, industrial, educational and governmental concerns. more >>
		Valerie T. Perez, SPHR Valerie is the Managing Partner for Design Management Alliance. She brings twenty years hands-on experience in all aspects of human resource management functions and manufacturing. After graduating in 1985 with her MBA from the University of Michigan, Valerie went to work for TRW as a Management Associate working in human resources. Having a strong interest in manufacturing she took an assignment as a first line supervisor in one of their automotive plants in East Tennessee. . more>>
The Associates

Mickey Barbely		Mickey Barbely After David Drinnon first met Mickey Barbely through a sales call more than 8 years ago, as she walked out the door he turned to an associate and said “One day she will be working with us.” Mickey became a Design Management Alliance Associate soon after that meeting. She brings documentation and computer skills to the group on an as-needed basis, and is also a key member of DMA’s teambuilding and seminar staff. more >>
Robert W. Hamilton		Robert Hamilton Robert W. Hamilton is an associate of Design Management Alliance and the current Quality Systems Manager. He has an extensive background in high-tech Automotive Manufacturing. His areas of expertise include ISO/QS9000, Quality Systems Development, Auditing, Advanced Product Quality Planning, SPC Applications, Quality Control Applications, Document Control, Technical Writing, Policy / Procedure Development, Leadership Development, Motivational Speaking, Team Building, and Experiential Training. Robert has successfully completed Lead Auditor Courses through Excel Partnership in ISO/QS9000 and ISO14000. He holds an Associate of Science Degree from Walter State Community College. more>>
Doug Moses		Doug Moses Doug Moses is a Senior Partner of Design Management Alliance.  His varied experiences through his work career has provided him to work in and observe many different types of manufacturing environments and understand the needs of each department within the organizations.  more>>
John J. Strader		John J. Strader John J. Strader brings over 30 years of general management, sales, engineering, product development and program management experience to Design Management Alliance. He has had a consistent record of successful team building, leading to expanded business opportunities and improved profitability. more >>

David W. Drinnon

David W. Drinnon is founder and Managing Partner of Design Management Alliance. His diversity of experiences throughout his working career provided the inspiration and foundation to build a full service performance-based consulting firm that delivers a range of services to manufacturing, healthcare, industrial, educational and governmental concerns.

Design Management Alliance's success is contributed to David's extensive working knowledge of manufacturing; lean manufacturing methods, inventory management and organizational development. Through David's experience in plant turnarounds, and startups he has acquired a keen understanding of how to make systems work, when to revamp processes and how to assemble internal resources to create functioning processes out of seemly chaotic situations.

Growing up on a farm in East Tennessee, David learned the importance of education, urgency, involvement, values, and hard work. David's career began with a tour in the United States Army, stationed in Korea. He spent eighteen years with TRW, Inc. in several managerial positions. Hired by Tuff Torq Corporation in 1989, he had the privilege and opportunity to work in Japan to learn Japanese manufacturing philosophies and application.

Believing simple can be better, David's business philosophy is to be on time, do what you say you are going to do, finish what you start and say please and thank you. He firmly believes in investing in the client, employees and the process for developing high performance. Building long-term relationships with each customer, meeting challenging opportunities head on, and providing value that obtains the desired results for his clients has proven to be a successful formula for David and his company. His personal satisfaction comes through helping others do their best.

Customers describe David as having a relentless passion to meet their needs and exceed their expectations. David values each customer and nurtures that relationship. He wants the customer to feel that they can call on Design Management Alliance as an immediate resource at their moment of need. David appreciates the relationships and trust of past and current customer.

David is an avid private pilot and has a soft spot for his two granddaughters.

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Mickey Barbely

Mickey is known for her flexibility and willingness to adapt to the client’s needs. She enjoys “changing people’s lives,” whether through teaching them computer skills that they were certain they couldn’t master, or through helping them find new ways of meeting the daily challenges of their jobs. She says, “Seeing people’s faces light up, hearing someone say ‘This will make my job so much easier!’—that makes it all worthwhile for her.”

Ten years ago Mickey formed KeyBoard Services, where she concentrates on performing computer software training, desktop publishing, editing, and specialized business services. Mickey’s relationships with clients are long-term. She has served as editor of one national publication for 10 years, compiling and editing the document, developing graphics, and interfacing with authors. Her classroom computer training in Microsoft Windows, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access has resulted in consistently high marks on student evaluation forms. She has also provided individual training and troubleshooting.

Mickey has delivered teambuilding, leadership skills, and corporate ethics seminars. A team member in outplacement projects for groups as large as 350, Mickey counseled people on job and interview skills and developed resumes. She has managed the design and creation of brochures, presentations, and manuals, with a specialty of maintaining consistency and quality of corporate image. She has also developed custom databases to track training, scheduling, and scoring, product availability and purchases by client, and conference attendees.

Prior to forming KeyBoard Services, Mickey was publications manager for a government-contracting firm in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, responsible for scheduling work and managing the publications department. She completed more than 200 documents, including proposals, reports, presentations, and newsletters.

Mickey has an M.A. in Mass Communications from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and a B.A. with a double major in English and Psychology from Tusculum College.

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Robert Hamilton

Robert has a very fresh outlook pertaining to cutting edge management practices. His management philosophy is rooted in the principles of Servant Leadership and the Golden Rule. At the very heart of every organization are people, and according to Robert, success is all about how you treat people. It is important how you treat people, both those within an organization and those whom the organization serves - the customer. One of the keys to business success is Influential Leadership, which is leadership that establishes true influence by genuinely identifying and meeting the needs of the customers and the employees.

It is Robert's goal to make a positive impact on any given situation, on any given organization, and on every individual with whom he comes in contact. He prides himself in truly adding value to an organization and striving to achieve excellence in all that he approaches. Robert enjoys motivating and challenging others to be successful and to achieve excellence by being creative, thinking outside of the box, daring to move forward, and making positive improvements - organizationally, professionally and personally.

Robert believes that healthy relationships should be established, maintained and cultivated with every client and customer. He also believes that those relationships must be built on a foundation of trust and respect with the aim of identifying and meeting the needs of the customer, striving to exceed customer expectations, and providing the customer with high-quality, customized, personal service. Robert thinks that open, two-way communication and a win-win mindset will be characteristic of successful relationships.

With Robert, a potential customer can expect sincerity, integrity, loyalty, genuine effort, contagious optimism, concern for people, and a strong desire to achieve success.

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John J. Strader