LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The National Research Center for College & University Admissions™ (NRCCUA®) announced today the appointment of Patrick Vogt as NRCCUA’s new CEO. Mr. Vogt brings nearly 30 years of experience building innovative technology and products, accelerating company growth, and establishing first-class organizational cultures.
In his new position, Mr. Vogt will report to the NRCCUA Board of Directors and work closely with NRCCUA’s management team to lead the company into its next phase of growth. Mr. Vogt will lead the strategic effort by providing new capabilities and insights to NRCCUA members through advanced analytics, and expanding and enhancing its technology-enabled services, ultimately driving exceptional growth and improving the overall value proposition. NRCCUA is the first investment made out of Sterling Partners’ Education Opportunity Fund, Sterling’s first-ever sector-focused fund. To launch the Education Opportunity Fund, Sterling partnered with USA Funds, a mission-driven non-profit focused on building purposeful paths for students that begin with college completion and ensure a smooth transition from education to employment in the modern global workforce.
Mr. Vogt assumes the leadership of NRCCUA from Don Munce, who is transitioning from his role as CEO to Chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Munce has played an integral role in the success of the organization for nearly 30 years, and will remain an active participant in the company’s future growth and continued evolution. Mr. Munce was actively engaged in the selection and appointment of Mr. Vogt as the new CEO.
“Attracting a talent such as Patrick is a testament to NRCCUA’s long-standing reputation for providing trusted solutions within college admissions and higher education,” said Mr. Munce. “I look forward to seeing Patrick build upon the values and strengths of NRCCUA that have made it such an amazing place to work, and have positively impacted so many college-bound students and their families.”
A technology industry veteran, Mr. Vogt was previously CEO for HealthiNation, a leading digital video company focused on inspiring healthy and active lifestyles, where he led the development and execution of a transformative growth plan. Before that, Mr. Vogt was President of The Weather Channel's International Division, where he led the global expansion of The Weather Channel's products and services. Throughout his impressive career, which also includes successful CEO roles at leading digital media technology companies, as well as senior executive positions at Sony, Dell and HP, Mr. Vogt has demonstrated a unique ability to accelerate growth and innovation.
“The foundation on which Don created NRCCUA will not change. We will remain focused on supporting higher-education institutions and helping students achieve great academic and future workforce success,” said Mr. Vogt. “But as the industry faces new challenges in terms of decreased enrollment, the rising cost of college and the demand for transparency, we need to adapt to the current environment and offer our members new technology and data solutions in order to seamlessly connect them with their right prospective students. I look forward to leading the team and working closely with our member institutions as we begin our next phase of growth.”
Sterling Partners’ Education Opportunity Fund welcomed NRCCUA into its portfolio in February 2016. As part of the fund, NRCCUA has access to benefits much deeper than just capital and can take advantage of the fund’s invaluable strategic and operational understanding of the education market. Since its founding in 1983, Sterling Partners has had a rich history of successful investing in the education space.
About NRCCUA
The National Research Center for College & University Admissions (NRCCUA) is an educational research organization based in Lee's Summit, MO. For 40 years, NRCCUA has conducted one of the largest nationwide surveys of high school students, which serves as a communications link between college bound high school students and public and private colleges and universities. For more information please visit www.nrccua.org.
About Sterling Partners’ Education Opportunity Fund
Sterling Partners is a private equity firm with a distinct point of view on how to build great companies. Its eighth investment fund, the Education Opportunity Fund, was launched in partnership with USA Funds in April 2015. The Fund's objective is to invest in purpose-driven companies and partner with high-performing leaders that are taking an innovative approach to transforming the education landscape. The Education Opportunity Fund will target investments where it can make between $10M and $25M of equity capital commitments to growth-stage, technology-relevant businesses. For more information, visit www.educationfund.sterlingpartners.com.
About USA Funds
USA Funds is a nonprofit corporation that supports Completion With a Purpose, building a more purposeful path for America’s students to and through college and on to rewarding careers and successful lives. USA Funds pursues its nonprofit mission through philanthropic activities and partnerships, policy research, and programs and services that enhance preparation for, access to and success in higher education. Learn more at www.usafunds.org.