Colibri Group Announces Strategic Acquisition of BrightPath Education Services

ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Colibri Group (“Colibri”), an education company with leading brands that provide learning solutions to licensed professionals, is pleased to announce that the company has acquired BrightPath Education Services, a provider of qualifying education (QE) and continuing education (CE) for appraisal and real estate in North Carolina. With this acquisition, Colibri Group expands its presence and market leadership in appraisal and real estate education in the state of North Carolina.

“The Brightpath team is truly excited to join forces with Colibri Group. We look forward to building on the success we have enjoyed in North Carolina as we work with Colibri Group to take our longtime focus on quality content, excellent instruction, and customer service nationally,” said Mel Black, Owner of BrightPath Education Services. “For years, we have been partnering with Colibri Group companies for online courses. It is a natural fit to fully integrate our appraisal and real estate expertise to bring the best of both worlds together for our students. I look forward to further growing the business and will continue my passion for teaching professionals how to confidently and successfully navigate the real estate and appraisal professions.”

BrightPath is best known for its live QE and CE appraisal and real estate courses throughout North Carolina. The company also offers online courses through its partnerships with Hondros Education Group and Superior School of Real Estate, which are both part of Colibri Group. Colibri Group and its family of brands provide the most comprehensive and flexible educational offerings in the appraisal and real estate professions.

“Our Colibri family of brands are committed to helping professionals achieve more in their careers by offering a high quality and broad array of learning experiences, courses and business tools,” said Michelle Franchi, President of Valuation and Property Services, Colibri Group. “Mel Black and his staff at Brightpath bring an entrepreneurial spirit and infusion of practical knowledge to their appraisal curriculum. We are excited to be able to expand the A+ experience that they bring locally in North Carolina to a broader audience for customers nationwide, which we plan to do in collaboration with McKissock Learning.”

BrightPath is the latest acquisition Colibri Group has made to expand the licensed professionals it serves. Colibri Group serves millions of customers through its portfolio of brands in real estate, appraisal, financial services and healthcare. Real estate and appraisal brands include McKissock Learning, Real Estate Express, Hondros Education Group and its family of brands, Superior School of Real Estate, Allied School and Institute for Luxury Home Marketing.

Colibri Group is backed by Gridiron Capital, LLC (“Gridiron Capital”), a leading investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams.

ABOUT BRIGHTPATH EDUCATION SERVICES

BrightPath Education Services provides high quality education to those in the appraisal and real estate professions by offering the best online and live in-person classes in the State of North Carolina. The company offers continuing education classes to help real estate brokers and appraisers maintain their licensure, as well as qualifying education to help aspiring appraisers gain licensure within the industry. BrightPath has been proudly serving North Carolina since 1992 and was founded by Mel Black. Mr. Black is an educator, attorney, appraiser, real estate broker, and regulator. Guided by generations of real estate professionals and entrepreneurs in his family, he built BrightPath after serving as the Executive Director of the North Carolina Appraisal Board, President of the Association of Appraisal Regulator Officials, and on the Board of Directors of the Council on Licensure Enforcement and Regulation. Mr. Black currently serves as a Member of the North Carolina Real Estate Commission.

ABOUT COLIBRI GROUP

Colibri Group helps millions of licensed professionals manage and advance their careers through online learning solutions for licensing, continuing education and professional development, all powered by our proprietary ColibriConnect technology platform. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Colibri Group offers a seamless experience to help licensed professionals progress throughout their careers, focused on licensing, continuing education, industry news, and job opportunities for healthcare, real estate, and financial services, among other professions. Visit colibrigroup.com for more information.

ABOUT GRIDIRON CAPITAL

Gridiron Capital is an investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams, and creating value by building middle-market companies into industry-leaders in branded consumer, B2B and B2C services, and niche industrial segments in the United States and Canada. We help transform growing companies by winning together through hard work, partnerships grounded in shared values and a unique culture that comes from hands-on experience building and running businesses. As a team led by former operators and entrepreneurs, we know what it takes to run successful businesses on a day-to-day basis. Additional information is available on the firm’s website: www.gridironcapital.com.