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PlattForm Announces Promotions within Executive Management Team

LENEXA, Kan. (February 11, 2011) – PlattForm Advertising has announced five promotions within its executive management team. By promoting these key individuals to their new roles, PlattForm will have the opportunity to continue on its path of growth and client partnership.

"Despite the current economic climate, PlattForm Advertising is one of few Kansas City companies that is not only growing, but has continued to report record strong years," CEO Dave Admire said. "We owe our success to our creative, dedicated and innovative employees who are encouraged by phenomenal leadership. Each of these promotions is well-deserved, and we offer our thanks and congratulations to these employees."

Steve Booth has been promoted from Chief Operations Officer to Chief Culture Officer. In this unique position, he will work to uphold the atmosphere of fun and philanthropy that makes PlattForm employees passionate about coming to work.
Mike McHugh is the new Chief Operations Officer. Formerly PlattForm's Chief Interactive Officer, McHugh's new responsibilities will include overseeing the company's overall strategic planning and efficiency, as well as high-level support of all departments and teams.
John Van Fleet has assumed the role of Chief Interactive Officer, overseeing the company's largest and highest revenue- and inquiry-generating department. In his new position, Van Fleet has the opportunity to continue improving the quality of inquiries, web marketing projects and other client-driven initiatives.
Justin Gill has been promoted from Vice President of Media Services to Chief Media & Analytics Officer. In his new role, Gill helps the company focus on research and intelligence in order to provide more comprehensive services to clients.
Alicia Newton has been recognized for her excellence as Director of Career Advisor by taking on more responsibilities as Executive Director of Career Advisor. Career Advisor, a matching service to help students find their ideal schools, is an invaluable resource to students in today's troubled economy. Under Newton's capable oversight, the service is expected to continue growing and thriving.

About PlattForm Higher Education
PlattForm Advertising (www.PlattFormAd.com) is an enrollment solutions provider to the postsecondary education industry. Boasting an internal staff of over 400 industry experts, the Kansas City-based agency provides a number of enrollment services including interactive lead generation; online marketing; search engine marketing; media placement; creative services, print and video production; direct marketing; and print media services. PlattForm is a division of Ad Venture Interactive.

PlattForm Higher Education announces exhibition at Association for Biblical Higher Education's 2011 Annual Meeting

LENEXA, KS February 8, 2011 – PlattForm Higher Education, a leading provider of enrollment marketing and advertising solutions for the higher education industry, announced today that it will be exhibiting at the Association for Biblical Higher Education's 2011 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla., from February 23-26.

PlattForm's Regional Vice President, Andrew Cate and SEO Manager, Joe Mulvihill will represent PlattForm at the event. Mulvihill will be presenting "How to Use Social Media in Enrollment Marketing." His presentation will cover how to engage networks where your student population exists, how to use social media as a part of a complete marketing strategy, and how to leverage social functionality within your branded website.

"ABHE is a highly esteemed and long-standing organization in higher education, and its annual meeting has attracted an influential following," said Joe Mulvihill, SEO Manager. "This event is one we attend annually to share our expertise in solving the enrollment challenges of religious-affiliated colleges and universities."

ABHE sets academic standards for seminaries and Bible colleges and evaluates and monitors compliance among its candidate and member schools. The organization's national accreditation is recognized by CHEA and the U.S. Department of Education. About 33,000 undergraduates and 2,500 graduate students are registered in more than 135 colleges/universities across North America.

For more information about this conference, visit www.ABHE.org/AnnualMeeting. For more information about PlattForm Higher Education, visit www.PlattFormHigherEducation.com.

About PlattForm Higher Education
PlattForm Higher Education is a leader in providing marketing and communications services for colleges and universities. With more than 20 years of relevant experience, a history of innovation and exceptional customer service, PlattForm Higher Education has become the largest full-service agency in postsecondary education. Today, PlattForm Higher Education provides a full spectrum of marketing, communications and advertising services to an ever-increasing client base. With more than 400 industry experts, PlattForm Higher Education works at the forefront of higher education and continues to create award-winning solutions for colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and Canada.

PlattForm Higher Education Announces Exhibition at Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers 64th Annual Meeting

LENEXA, KS. January 31, 2011 – PlattForm Higher Education, a leading provider of enrollment marketing and advertising solutions for the higher education industry, announced today that it will exhibit at the Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (SACRAO) 64th Annual Meeting.

Regional Vice President, Vince Giambalvo will represent PlattForm at the conference. For more information about PlattForm Higher Education, visit www.PlattFormHigherEducation.com.

"We look forward to sharing PlattForm's innovative social media ideas and wide range of enrollment marketing services with SACRAO attendees," said Giambalvo. "We focus on helping our partners maximize their budget, while obtaining an optimal ROI."

This year's conference, Shaping Tomorrow, will be held on February 19-23 at the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel. Following the success of the 2010 annual conference, SACRAO will once again offer a variety of sessions and exhibitions on relevant topics, including training and development, social media, marketing, admissions, legislation and more.

Since 1947, SACRAO has worked to identify and promote standards and best practices affecting admission officers, registrars and other academic support, and student service professionals. For more information about the 2011 Annual Conference, visit http://www.sacrao.org/2011Conference/2011conference.asp.

PlattForm Advertising Announces Exhibition at 8th Annual National Conference on Allied Health Education

LENEXA, KS. January 25, 2011 – PlattForm Advertising, the leading provider of interactive marketing and advertising solutions for the higher education industry, announced today that it will exhibit at the 8th Annual National Conference on Allied Health Education.

Business Developers, Jeff Buehler and Andrew Cate will represent PlattForm at booth number 13. For more information about PlattForm Advertising, visit www.PlattFormAd.com.

"PlattForm is very excited to be part of the 2011 ABHES Conference," said Buehler. "The demand for healthcare professionals is going to continue to grow over the next few years, and it's important that schools know how to reach students who want to help meet that demand. PlattForm has years of experience helping schools reach their audiences, even on limited budgets."

Hosted by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES), this year's conference will be held on February 9-11 at the newly renovated New Orleans French Quarter Marriott. Following the success of the 2010 annual conference, ABHES will once again offer an extended schedule filled with even more breakout sessions than offered ever before.

ABHES has been nationally recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education as a private, non-profit, independent accrediting agency for over 40 years. It has been at the forefront of advancing the quality of health education and training programs throughout the country. For more information about the conference, visit www.abhes.org.

About PlattForm
PlattForm Advertising (www.PlattFormAd.com) is an enrollment solutions provider to the postsecondary education industry. Boasting an internal staff of over 400 industry experts, the Kansas City-based agency provides a number of enrollment services including interactive lead generation; online marketing; search engine marketing; media placement; creative services, print and video production; direct marketing; and print media services. PlattForm is a division of Ad Venture Interactive.

PlattForm Higher Education announces exhibition at 2011 Annual CIC Presidents Institute

LENEXA, KS. December 27, 2010 – PlattForm Higher Education, the leading provider of interactive marketing and advertising solutions for the higher education industry, announced today that it will be exhibiting at The Council of Independent Colleges' 2011 Annual Presidents Institute in Palm Springs, Calif. from January 4-7.

Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Lyle Kraft, will be representing PlattForm at the conference.

“The CIC Presidents Institute is unique because it is made up 100% of influential decision-makers: chief executives of independent colleges and universities around the nation,” Kraft said. “These are the men and women who shape our educational landscape. PlattForm Higher Education welcomes the opportunity to share our expertise with attendees and work together to create effective marketing partnerships.”

The annual Presidents Institute has become the largest annual meeting of college and university presidents in the country, bringing together the campus leaders of independent institutions to explore practical approaches to the major issues faced by campus leaders. The theme of this year's conference, “A Dynamic Equilibrium: Essential Missions, Evolving Models,” centers on helping independent colleges and universities successfully balance their educational missions with imaginative approaches to new circumstances, something that PlattForm Higher Education excels at.

For more information about this conference, visit www.cic.edu. For more information about PlattForm Higher Education, visit www.PlattformHigherEducation.com.

PlattForm Higher Education announces exhibition at AACRAO's 20th Anniversary SEM Conference

LENEXA, KS. November 1, 2010 – PlattForm Higher Education, the leading provider of interactive marketing and advertising solutions for the higher education industry, announced today that it will be exhibiting at the American Association of Collegiate Registrars & Admissions Officers (AACRAO)'s 20th Anniversary Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Conference in Nashville, Tennessee on November 7-9.

Regional Vice Presidents Lou Llewellyn and Vince Giambalvo will be representing PlattForm at booth #21. “By fine-tuning your approach to enrollment, you can improve student access, service and success – as well as your own operational efficiency – without spending a fortune in resources and manpower,” Llewellyn said. “PlattForm Higher Education can offer expert advice on enrollment strategy trends that make the most of what you have.”

The American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers is a nonprofit, voluntary, professional association of more than 10,000 higher education admissions and registration professionals whose mission of is to serve and advance higher education by providing leadership in academic and enrollment services. For more information, visit http://www.aacrao.org/.

For more information about PlattForm Higher Education, visit www.PlattformHigherEducation.com.

PlattForm announces exhibition and presentation at the 2010 ACHE Annual Conference & Meeting

LENEXA, KS. October 14, 2010 – PlattForm Higher Education, the leading provider of interactive marketing and advertising solutions for the higher education industry, announced today that it will be exhibiting at the Association for Continuing Higher Education (ACHE)'s 2010 Annual Conference & Meeting in Albuquerque, New Mexico on October 20 – 23.

Chief Growth Officer Brad Gibbs and Regional Vice President Lou Llewellyn will be representing PlattForm at booth #22. On Thursday, October 21 from 11:00 am- 12:15 pm, Gibbs and co-presenter Marcelo Parravicini, Director of Marketing at Post University, will host a concurrent session titled “Best Practices in Interactive Marketing & New Technologies.”

“Interactive marketing is the focus for most people right now, as it should be” Gibbs said. “Just as important is understanding how to utilize and integrate new technologies such as conversational marketing, viral marketing and peer-to-peer feedback into your marketing mix.”

ACHE represents more than 400 different institutions, made up of approximately 1,500 individual members. The 2010 Annual Conference and Meeting will allow attendees the opportunity to explore new ideas, resources, products and relationships.

For more information about PlattForm Higher Education, visit www.PlattformHigherEducation.com.

About PlattForm Higher Education
PlattForm Higher Education is a leader in providing marketing and communications services for colleges and universities. With more than 20 years of relevant experience, a history of innovation and exceptional customer service, PlattForm Higher Education has become the largest full-service agency in postsecondary education. Today, PlattForm Higher Education provides a full spectrum of marketing, communications and advertising services to an increasing client base of more than 4,000 partner schools. With more than 400 industry experts, PlattForm Higher Education works at the forefront of higher education and continues to create award-winning solutions for colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and Canada.

PlattForm Advertising announces attendance at the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools

LENEXA, KS. OCTOBER 5, 2010 – PlattForm Advertising, a leading provider of marketing and communication services for colleges and universities, announced today that it will be exhibiting at the California Association of Private Postsecondary Schools annual conference. The 2010 conference: A Golden State for a Golden Future, will be held October 13-15 at the Hyatt Grand Champions Resort in Indian Wells, Calif.

Business Developer Jeff Buehler will be representing PlattForm Advertising at the conference, in booth number 45. “Current regulations make this an exhilarating time for the career college sector,” said Buehler. “PlattForm has an expertise that California schools can really benefit from, and I'm excited to bring some of that knowledge to the CAPPS conference.”

Since 1985, CAPPS has represented over three hundred educational institutions by offering professional business and educational advice. This year's conference will cover information critical to education operations and will blend timely information on state and national issues. CAPPS also works with California governors, the state legislature and a number of regulatory agencies to provide oversight to the sector.

For more information about the conference, visit www.cappsonline.org

About PlattForm Advertising
PlattForm Advertising (www.PlattFormAd.com) is an enrollment solutions provider to the postsecondary education industry. Boasting an internal staff of over 400 industry experts, the Kansas City-based agency provides a number of enrollment services including interactive lead generation; online marketing; search engine marketing; media placement; creative services, print and video production; direct marketing; and print media services. PlattForm is a division of Ad Venture Interactive.

PlattForm Advertising announces attendance at The Missouri and Kansas Association of Private Career Colleges and Schools

LENEXA, KS. October 5, 2010 – PlattForm Advertising, a leading provider of marketing and communications services for colleges and universities, announced today that it will attend The Missouri and Kansas Association of Private Career Colleges and School (MAPCCS/KAPCCS).The 2010 conference is scheduled for October 15, at the Harrah's Casino and Hotel located in Kansas City, Missouri.

“PlattForm Advertising is an industry expert; not only regarding enrollment solutions, but the chaotic regulatory environment.” said Chief Marketing Officer Tracy Kreikemeier. “We feel that it's very important for us to bring our expertise to a conference that directly affects our local students.”

Business Developer Jeff Buehler and Marketing Consultant Josh Legato will be representing PlattForm at the event.

MAPCCS and KAPCCS are professional organizations dedicated to providing quality training for students to become successful employees in business and industry. The associations strive to foster goodwill between industry and proprietary education by instilling a feeling of pride, integrity, and high ethical standards in the performance of job duties, and by also encouraging positive attitudes toward personal, business and social interactions in our students.

For more information about the conference please contact Joan Meyer-Ellison at 816-412-7702 or email to jellison@national.edu.

PlattForm Advertising announces attendance at the Career Colleges and Schools of Texas 2010 Annual Conference

LENEXA, KS. October 1, 2010 – PlattForm Advertising, a leading provider of marketing and communications services for colleges and universities, announced today that it will attend the Career Colleges and Schools of Texas (CCST) annual conference. The 2010 conference is scheduled for October 6-8, at the Moody Gardens Hotel in Galveston, Texas.

Business Developer Jeff Buehler will be representing PlattForm at the Annual Conference, at booth number 304.

Buehler said “Texas has such a high concentration of schools and students, and for some of them, the recent changes to Texas accreditation standards can be overwhelming. PlattForm Advertising is well-versed on everything going on in the regulatory environment. We look forward to bringing our expertise to CCST.”

This year's conference; Building on the Past, Marching Toward the Future, will feature more than 300 career colleges and schools sector leaders, key decision makers, faculty and administrative personnel and speakers from Texas and surrounding states.

Career Colleges and Schools of Texas is the state association for private, post secondary institutions that prepare people for today's jobs and great careers. The Annual Conference is intended to serve as an exchange of ideas, information, and technology related to career colleges and higher education.

For more information about the conference, visit www.ccst.org.

About PlattForm Advertising
PlattForm Advertising(www.PlattFormAd.com) is an enrollment solutions provider to the postsecondary education industry. Boasting an internal staff of over 400 industry experts, the Kansas City-based agency provides a number of enrollment services including interactive lead generation; online marketing; search engine marketing; media placement; creative services, print and video production; direct marketing; and print media services. PlattForm is a division of Ad Venture Interactive.

AnyCollege.com announces attendance at 66th Annual NACAC Conference

LENEXA, KS. September, 2010 – AnyCollege.com, one of the internet’s leading college search portals, announced today that it will be attending the 2010 National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Conference from Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, at the America’s Center convention complex in the heart of downtown St. Louis, Mo.

AnyCollege.com offers a number of features to prospective students including search tools, scholarship drawings, college information request forms, information on featured colleges and universities, college videos, and other resources for students, parents, and counselors.

AnyCollege.com will be represented at booth #622 and its focus will be on helping institutions better target and recruit high school juniors and seniors. PlattForm Higher Education's Chief Growth Officer Brad Gibbs said, "Understanding the college search process is critical to finding the right school. We believe our site effectively connects prospective students to the opportunities they want in pursuing a postsecondary education. It’s just one of the many resources PlattForm offers that reaches students through a medium they can relate to and prefer."

NACAC, founded in 1937, is an organization of more than 11,000 professionals world-wide dedicated to helping students as they make choices about pursuing postsecondary education. More than 5,000 people will attend the 66th annual NACAC National Conference to network with colleagues. The event will host 100 educational sessions, 150 vendors, a counselor’s college fair, and several prominent speakers.

For more information about AnyCollege.com, visit http://www.anycollege.com/.

About AnyCollege.com
AnyCollege.com is a college search portal designed to be the most user-friendly, interactive resource for college bound students starting their college search process. Site layout and navigation have been designed to allow the user to quickly gain access to information and connect with the colleges that fit their interests and search actions.

PlattForm Higher Education announces exhibition at 66th Annual NACAC Conference

LENEXA, KS. – Sept., 2010 – PlattForm Higher Education, a leading provider of marketing and communications services for colleges and universities, announced today that it will be exhibiting at the 2010 National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Conference from Sept. 30 – Oct. 2 at the America’s Center convention complex in St. Louis, Mo.

PlattForm Higher Education will be represented at booth #1105 and its focus will be on helping institutions deal with decreasing budgets. "With budget cuts seriously hindering colleges and universities across the country, our focus is on how we can help institutions do more with less," PlattForm Higher Education’s Chief Growth Officer Brad Gibbs said. "We can help these institutions understand how to employ more cost-effective and efficient marketing strategies that increase their return on investment for less than what they were previously spending."

NACAC, founded in 1937, is an organization of more than 11,000 professionals worldwide dedicated to helping students as they make choices about pursuing postsecondary education. More than 5,000 people will attend the 66th annual NACAC National Conference to network with colleagues. The event will host 100 educational sessions, 150 vendors, a counselor's college fair, and several prominent speakers.

For more information about PlattForm Higher Education, visit www.PlattFormHigherEducation.com.

About PlattForm Higher Education
PlattForm Higher Education is a leader in providing marketing and communications services for colleges and universities. With more than 20 years of relevant experience, a history of innovation and exceptional customer service, PlattForm Higher Education has become the largest full-service agency in postsecondary education. Today, PlattForm Higher Education provides a full spectrum of marketing, communications and advertising services to an increasing client base of more than 4,000 partner schools. With more than 380 employees, PlattForm Higher Education works at the forefront of higher education and continues to create award-winning solutions for colleges and universities throughout the U.S. and Canada. PlattForm Higher Education is a division of Ad Venture Interactive.

PlattForm Announces Acquisition of Online Massage School Directory MassageRegister.com

PlattForm, a leading Internet marketing and enrollment solutions provider to the postsecondary education industry, announced today the expansion of its family of web sites through the acquisition of MassageRegister.com. MassageRegister.com is a comprehensive online directory of massage schools in the United States and Canada, as well as an informational resource focused on the growing fields of massage therapy and holistic healing.

Lenexa, KS (Vocus/PRWEB ) January 21, 2010 – PlattForm, a leading Internet marketing and enrollment solutions provider to the postsecondary education industry, announced today the expansion of its family of web sites through the acquisition of MassageRegister.com. MassageRegister.com is a comprehensive online directory of massage schools in the United States and Canada, as well as an informational resource focused on the growing fields of massage therapy and holistic healing.

MassageRegister.com appeals to the needs of current and potential students, job seekers, employers, and any individuals who want to enhance their general well-being through massage therapy. The site features a thorough directory of massage schools and spas, contact information for massage therapy schools, massage therapists, massage therapy associations, license and certification requirements, continuing education, career opportunities, and much more.

“MassageRegister.com has done an excellent job of building a broad information database and we are excited to continue to expand our reach into the massage therapy field through the massageregister.com brand,” said Dave Admire, Chief Executive Officer of PlattForm. “The synergy between PlattForm’s lead generation experience as well as a strong base of schools that offer massage therapy, and MassageRegister.com’s search-engine reach and solid reputation for high quality leads, will help more students find their ideal schools, and help those schools reach their enrollment goals.”

To view the original release: http://www.prweb.com

For more information, please contact Kevin Kuzma, Director of Media Relations, at kevink@plattformad.com or 913-254-6087.

About PlattForm Advertising
PlattForm Advertising (www.plattformad.com) is an enrollment solutions provider to the postsecondary education industry. Boasting an internal staff of over 400 industry experts, the Kansas City-based agency provides a number of enrollment services including interactive lead generation; online marketing; search engine marketing; media placement; creative services, print and video production; direct marketing; and print media services. PlattForm Advertising is a division of Ad Venture Interactive.

About Ad Venture Interactive
Ad Venture Interactive (www.ad-venture-interactive.com) is a full-service interactive marketing company encompassing five divisions: PlattForm, PlattForm Higher Ed, Beauty Schools Marketing Group, Transportation Marketing Group, and Vertical Marketing Group. Ad Venture Interactive companies offer a spectrum of services including interactive lead generation, online marketing, search engine marketing, media placement, creative, print and video production, direct marketing, and print media services.

Contact:
Kevin Kuzma
913-254-6087

PlattForm Advertising Collects 11 Marcom Awards for Diverse Creative Projects

LENEXA, Kan. – (Nov. 24, 2009) – PlattForm Advertising has announced that its creative teams won 11 awards in the 2009 Marcom Awards competition.

The Marcom Awards are an annual marketing and communications competition that has grown to be the largest of its kind in the world. Winners range in size from individual communicators to media conglomerates and Fortune 500 companies.

“The Marcom awards recognize what we already knew – our creative teams are not only excellent at what they do, but also committed to our clients’ visions,” PlattForm CEO Dave Admire said.

Platinum awards went to:

Milan Institute Hair Skin Business Viewbook – Design/Brochure category
Milan Institute Hair Skin Business Viewbook – Brochure/Business to Consumer category
MedVance Institute Motivational Poster Campaign – Marketing Campaign/Promotion Materials category

Winning gold honors were:

Hallmark Institute of Photography “Capture Your World” brochure – Design/Brochure category
www.friends.edu web site – Web Site Overall category
www.ohiotechnicalcollege.edu web site – Web Site Overall category

Earning honorable mention were:

TLC “Dignity” Video – Pro Bono category
Argosy “Meet the Challenge” spot – Television/Single Spot category

PlattForm also won three awards, including a Platinum distinction, for its industry trade publication, Career College Central. The bi-monthly magazine was launched by PlattForm in January 2007 and has become the definitive voice of the career college sector of higher education.

View original release: http://www.prlog.org

PlattForm Advertising’s Traditional College and University Division Rebrands as PlattForm Higher Education

LENEXA, Kan. (October 5, 2009) – PlattForm Advertising announced today that it has rebranded its traditional college and university division as PlattForm Higher Education. Under the new PlattForm Higher Education banner, the division will continue focusing on traditional colleges and universities as a core area of its business.

Based in Lenexa, Kan., PlattForm Advertising is the largest provider of advertising and marketing services to the postsecondary education industry. The full-service interactive marketing and advertising company’s client portfolio includes institutions from all areas of the higher education realm, including career-training-oriented colleges, traditional undergraduate institutions and online schools. PlattForm Higher Education’s client list includes more than 200 schools across the United States, such as: Saint Louis University, Azusa Pacific University, Liberty University Online, Walsh University and McMurry University.

In conjunction with its new brand image, PlattForm Higher Education has also launched a new web site, www.PlattformHigherEducation.com, featuring information about the company’s services, case studies, conference presentations, and a creative portfolio.

“Tradition is an important aspect to the colleges and university clients that we serve, which is why we felt we needed a stronger corporate name that distinguished our purpose as well as our background,” said Lyle Kraft, PlattForm Higher Education Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Many of our clients have been with us for 20 years or longer and with our new identity, we have the capacity to move forward and begin even more long-lasting, successful business partnerships.”

Beginning its focus on traditional college and university clients, PlattForm Advertising acquired Target Marketing Inc. of Liberty, Mo. in 2004. Target Marketing specialized in providing advertising, marketing and call center services to the four-year college and university field. The company was integrated into PlattForm’s corporate structure and its service capabilities for traditional education clients were greatly expanded.

As PlattForm Higher Education, the division’s focus has and will continue to be providing custom solutions and excellent customer service.

For more information about PlattForm Higher Education, contact Kevin Kuzma, Communications Manager, at (913) 254-6087 or at kevink@plattformad.com.

About PlattForm Higher Education
PlattForm Higher Education is the leading provider of marketing solutions for higher education. PlattForm provides a full spectrum of advertising, communications, and marketing service to an ever-growing client base of about 3,500 partner schools. With more than 300 employees and clients located throughout the United States and Canada, PlattForm works at the forefront of the higher education industry. The company provides a number of marketing services, including market research, direct marketing, search engine optimization, social media services, print and video creative services, magazine placement, call center solutions and more. Customized marketing solutions are provided for each client. PlattForm Higher Education is a division of Ad Venture Interactive.

View full article: http://www.prlog.org/10361846-plattform-advertisings-traditional-univers...

Michael Platt: A man with a vision

Michael Platt is a renowned leader and innovator in the career college sector. For nearly 20 years, Platt provided out-of-the-box marketing and advertising solutions for all types of learning institutions as CEO of PlattForm Advertising.

The company became one of the largest providers of interactive lead generation, advertising and marketing services to career colleges under his leadership. In 2008, Platt assumed the role of CEO for Ad Venture Interactive (AVI.) He now oversees and integrates all three of the parent company’s divisions: PlattForm Advertising, Beauty Schools Marketing Group, and Transportation Marketing Group.

In 2004, Platt was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year in the category of Business Services. He was lauded by the Career College Association with its "Irreplaceable and Indispensable" award for his service to the organization in 2006. Most recently, Platt was elected Chair of the Imagine America Board of Directors.

Today, we sit down with Mr. Platt to discuss career education, where to find good education information, and his newest project US College Search.

Q: What makes your site the best selection for students who want to obtain college information?

Comprehensiveness is the most obvious answer. USCollegeSearch.org is one of the largest college search sites available on the Internet. Thousands of schools are listed along with in-depth descriptions about the career paths prospective students can follow. But we also offer some distinctive features that help our students assemble all the information they need before choosing a school. For example, career advisors are available to help prospective students find the information they need and to guide them through the selection and application processes. The site also provides extensive articles, blog posts and other helpful resources for the decision-making process.

Q: What do you hope your visitors get from visiting your site?

The ability to make a well-informed decision about their education is what we hope they take away. We also want them to understand as much as they can about the career field they are pursuing so, upon graduation, they’ve found a career where they feel they are making a contribution and that will make them happy, long term. That’s been the mission of the site since it was founded. Since 2006, we’ve helped well over 100,000 students find career paths through our schools.

Q: Why do you feel so many undergraduate students get overwhelmed with their college information gathering experience?

In my experience, whether it’s an educational environment or a corporate one, your success depends on finding an organization that is the best fit for you, individually. This isn’t easy to do when colleges are flooding your mailbox and telling you their school is your perfect match. Colleges are competing fiercely for students. There are so many choices and types of learning now. The enrollment process is as confusing as it ever was. And, some students will always have doubts about what they want to do or why they’re going to college in the first place. The students who are able to keep the chaos on the outside – in the mailbox, let’s say – are the ones who are going to be a lot happier about their decisions.

Q: Where does your passion for career education come from? Why are you such a proponent of students who attend those institutions?

I believe whole-heartedly in the mission of our sector, which is to help lift people who are tired of tending bar and waiting tables into better lives for themselves and their families. These aren’t students who are going to college because their parents are paying for. These aren’t students who are trying to change the world. Their aspirations are much humbler than that. They want to make a decent life, and I think anyone can respect that. Plus, everyone loves an underdog. Most of our students are not in the most ideal situations. They may have had children at a young age or have some other extenuating circumstances that have not only kept them from the classroom, but also made their lives harder. With a little guidance, they can be something more. We are their guidance. We haven’t forgotten them or deemed them unworthy of education.

Q: Why do you feel it is important for people to understand their postsecondary education opportunities beyond traditional colleges and universities?

Traditional learning modes aren’t for everyone. From the time our children can listen, we are teaching them they are unique in this world – that they all have individual abilities and can do at least one thing well … and then our educational system more or less encourages that are all taught in the same way. If your talent involves your hands, for example, you are going to struggle academically and you might have a whole different high school experience than someone who is more gifted learning from lecture. So many career college students get put off of learning because the learning processes are geared more toward the collegiate environment. Even our culture is embedded with the usual forms of traditional colleges and universities. We talk about our kids “growing up and going off to college.” But what if the state university isn’t right for what you want to study? What if the school that best fits your background is a few blocks away and you don’t have to move across state to learn how to become what you want to be? If you don’t understand the options available to you in the postsecondary education realm, you might not make a choice. You might get caught in a run of the mill job. Many of our eventual students do … until they realize there is hope.

Thanks to Mr. Platt for his great insight. You can also read more solid education advice, and hear from the people who have been trying to share their education experiences.

View full article: http://www.examiner.com/x-9776-College-Examiner~y2009m9d30-Michael-Platt...

Michael Platt is CEO of Ad Venture Interactive and Founder of PlattForm Advertising, a leading marketing firm servicing the proprietary college market. The following interview was conducted by Keith Hampson of the Higher Education Management Group blog.

KCH: You’ve worked closely with the proprietary school sector for more than two decades. What’s the most interesting change you’ve seen in the proprietary sector during this time?

Actually, the most interesting change is under way right now, and that’s the recognition of career colleges’ legitimacy by the naysayers, and their adoption of many of our practices, strategies and philosophies. Wanted or not, there’s always been that rivalry between traditional colleges and universities, and career education-based institutions. In the 80s and 90s – and even still to this day, in some places – career colleges were looked down upon. We were tagged with the “for-profit” label that many of our colleagues at four-year institutions perpetuate, which in itself is a derogatory term. But sometime in the early 2000s, our schools began to surpass our “more esteemed” competitors in two related realms: the first is online education. We became big proponents of distance education and now our institutions are leaps and bounds ahead in regard to technology. And, the second realm was making education more convenient. Career colleges were the first to adapt their curricula and program availability to the busy schedules of their students. Now we are the leaders in many avenues mostly because our schools can make decisions fast and they don’t need to cut through line and after line of red tape. These continue to be our biggest advantages.

KCH: You’ve recently launched the online publication Career College Central. What features does the publication include?

Foremost, what we feature is news. Before Career College Central came along, there were no other news mediums that offered unbiased reporting on what’s happening in our sector. Also, there were no news agencies collecting the news of the day from other publications and making it available to executives in our sector. In addition, each issue of the magazine features analysis of current trends, interviews with prominent executives, research on topics relevant to college directors, and wisdom from leading experts in all areas of career education. We also have fun with the news. We make it interesting. We make it relevant. I suppose those details could be listed as features, too.

KCH: By which organizations in the higher education market have you been particularly impressed?

Well, it’s hard not to be impressed by Apollo Group and its first billion dollar quarter. They’ve been a leader in our industry for so long and done some amazing things for giving career education a good name. But then again, so many other institutions are thriving: Education Management Corporation, Corinthian Colleges, all the way to most of the smaller individually owned schools. I think the focus on the dollar is important, but no one really mentions the story behind that, which are the thousands of Americans represented by those amounts who have changed their lives. They are coming to our schools because they are convenient, provide real outcomes, and help people find jobs that are in demand. It’s a golden period for career education and we’re more energized than ever by their success.

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AdvertisingAge Magazine Ranks Ad Venture Interactive No. 175 in its Agency Report 2009 Ad Venture Interactive (AVI) was recently ranked #175 among the top 200 advertising agencies in the United States by AdvertisingAge magazine. The rankings were based on 2008 annual revenue reported from AVI’s three divisions: PlattForm Advertising, Beauty Schools Marketing Group and Transportation Marketing Group.

New York, NY (Vocus/PRWEB ) – (June 10, 2009) – Ad Venture Interactive (AVI) was recently ranked #175 among the top 200 advertising agencies in the United States by AdvertisingAge magazine. The rankings were based on 2008 annual revenue reported from AVI’s three divisions: PlattForm Advertising, Beauty Schools Marketing Group and Transportation Marketing Group.

The top 200 agency listing was published in AdAge this spring. The publication has a global readership of 198,000 people and includes some of the most high-profile executives and creative minds in the advertising field.

AVI’s ranking on the AdAge list was powered by the performance of PlattForm based in Lenexa, Kan. The company reported $34 million for gross income in 2008, almost a $10 million bump from the number it reported for 2007. Employee numbers grew as well from 300 to 351.

Nationally, PlattForm is the largest provider of advertising and marketing services to the higher education realm. PlattForm’s client base is predominantly career colleges, or what are often referred to in the traditional news media as “for-profit” or “trade” schools.

“Growth, along with innovation, has been the constant back-story for PlattForm since day one,” AVI CEO Michael Platt said. “PlattForm’s expansion has paralleled the rise of some of its largest clients, which are still clients to this day. This is as telling of their success as it is of ours.”

AdAge’s ranking follows PlattForm’s placement as the Kansas City area’s fourth largest advertising agency by The Kansas City Business Journal for the fourth consecutive year. On the Business Journal list, PlattForm leapfrogged a spot in employee count to become the third largest ad employer in the Kansas City area.

For more information about Ad Venture Interactive, contact Kevin Kuzma, Communications Manager, at (913) 254-6087 or at Kevin.Kuzma@ad-venture-interactive.com.

About Ad Venture Interactive
Ad Venture Interactive (www.ad-venture-interactive.com) is a full-service interactive marketing and advertising company encompassing three divisions: PlattForm Advertising, Beauty Schools Marketing Group and Transportation Marketing Group. Ad Venture Interactive companies offer a spectrum of services provided by about 290 employees located in Lenexa, Kan. Services include interactive lead generation, online marketing, search engine marketing, list services, media placement, creative, print and video production, direct mail, and print media services.

CONTACT: Kevin Kuzma
Phone: 913-254-6087

PlattForm Advertising Receives 2009 Best of Olathe Award

OLATHE, Kansas – (June 8, 2009) – PlattForm Advertising has been selected for the 2009 Best of Olathe Award in the Computer Programming Services category.

Each year, The Best of Olathe Award Program recognizes outstanding local businesses that we believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community.

Various sources of information were gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The Best of Olathe Award Program focused on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally and data provided by third parties.

About The Best of Olathe
The Best of Olathe funded by local businesses operating in towns, large and small, across America. The purpose of Best of Olathe Award is to promote local business through public relations, marketing and advertising.

The Best of Olathe Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in their community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations, chambers of commerce and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to be an advocate for small and medium size businesses and business entrepreneurs.

SOURCE: The Best of Olathe

PlattForm Remains Fourth Largest Ad Agency in Kansas City, Leapfrogs to Third Largest in Employee Count

LENEXA, Kan. – (April 16, 2009) – At a time when some advertising agencies are contemplating staff cuts and clinging to long-time clients with their fingernails, the pinball machine in PlattForm Advertising’s game room remained broken. The Family Guy-themed game broke three months ago and an all–company e–mail announced that a part had been ordered.

That was among the biggest employee concerns last week – a week in which for the fourth consecutive year, PlattForm was named by The Kansas City Business Journal as Kansas City’s fourth largest advertising agency. And while the results were typical for the company, they weren’t exactly identical to last year’s either. In fact, PlattForm leapfrogged a spot in employee count to become the third largest ad employer in the Kansas City area.

"In this economy and job climate, we feel pretty fortunate to have clients who are not only surviving, but thriving, and an incredible team," CEO Dave Admire said. "Our employees have done a wonderful job of taking on new clients and handling the workflow that’s accompanied the rise of enrollments in the career college sector of higher education."

PlattForm reported $34 million for gross income in 2008, almost a $10 million bump from the number it reported for 2007. Employees grew from 300 to 351. The company’s client base is predominantly career colleges, or what are often referred to in the traditional news media as "for-profit" or "trade" schools.

Nationally, PlattForm is the largest provider of advertising and marketing services to the higher education realm.

For more information about employment opportunities at PlattForm Advertising or the latest status of its game room equipment, contact Kevin Kuzma, Communications Manager, at (913) 254-6087 or at kevink@plattformad.com.

About PlattForm
PlattForm Advertising is a full-service marketing and advertising firm, specializing in interactive marketing and advertising for higher education. Boasting a collective staff of about 350 individuals, the Kansas City-based marketing company provides a number of student acquisition services including interactive lead generation; online marketing; search engine marketing; media placement; creative, print and video production; and direct mail. PlattForm Advertising is a division of Ad Venture Interactive.

VentureDirect Worldwide appoints Robert Iadanza, Jr. Vice President of Client Services

New York, NY – (Feb. 16, 2009) – VentureDirect Worldwide (VDW) today announced that Robert Iadanza, Jr., has been appointed as the company's new Vice President of Client Services.

Drawing on 17 years of client service and sales experience, Mr. Iadanza will be responsible for building VentureDirect's new Client Services division. Mr. Iadanza's primary responsibilities will include deepening relationships with the company's extensive client list, developing new business opportunities with new and existing clients, and forwarding the company's brand in the marketplace. The division encompasses 10 employees that service more than 450 clients.

Mr. Iadanza joins VentureDirect after serving as Senior Account Executive with ClassesUSA, the publisher of ClassesUSA.com, a leading online higher-education portal. In this role, Mr. Iadanza managed 45 education institutions in lead generation efforts and assisted each client in utilizing various mediums and marketing approaches to maximize lead flow.

He earned his MBA at St. John's University, and his BA in Multi-disciplinary Studies at Stony Brook University.

PlattForm promotes four throughout company

Lenexa, Kan. – (February 2, 2009) – PlattForm Advertising has announced four promotions throughout its various departments. By promoting these key individuals to their new roles, PlattForm will have the opportunity to create optimal marketing strategies for clients:

Julie Baker has been with PlattForm for three years. In her new role as Senior Project Coordinator, she will manage the timelines of a variety of projects, coordinate due dates, manage creative approval and client revisions, and work with Client Services to ensure client satisfaction. Baker started her career at PlattForm as a PPC Analyst and then became a Project Coordinator.
Dawn Billinger has been with PlattForm for almost six years. In her new role as Associate Media Director, she will facilitate reviews and proposals, as well as continue to help guide the team and organize various projects throughout the department. In the past, Billinger has taken on the role of Media Account Manager, Media Buyer and Media Analyst.
Brian Blancho has been with PlattForm for about two years. In his new role as Senior Partnership Developer, Blancho will be responsible for overseeing report developments, supervising the team and attending an increased amount of meetings. In past years at PlattForm, Blancho has been a Partnership Developer.
Chris Vogel has been with PlattForm for a little more than one year. In his new role as Media Buyer, Vogel will be working with a variety of clients across all media, negotiating and trafficking. He has previously served as Media Analyst and Associate Media Buyer.

PlattForm promotes four in Client Services

Lenexa, Kan. – (January 19, 2009) – PlattForm Advertising recently announced four promotions in its Client Services department. By promoting these key individuals to their new roles, PlattForm will have the opportunity to create optimal marketing strategies for clients.

Janelle Laudick has been with PlattForm for almost one and a half years. In her new role as Account Executive, she will be responsible for servicing and increasing strategic business relationships with both full-and non-full-service clients. Laudick started her career at PlattForm as an Account Coordinator and then moved into the Associate Account Executive role.
Casey Liddle has been with PlattForm for almost four years. In his new role as Associate Director of Client Services, Liddle will work with other managers to build and carry out the vision of the department. He will also continue to supervise accounts. In past years at PlattForm, Liddle was an Account Coordinator, Senior Account Executive and Account Supervisor.
Lauren McBeth has been with PlattForm for one and a half years. In her new role as Account Executive, McBeth will be developing strategies to assist clients with their overall advertising plan, budgeting and new initiatives. She began with PlattForm as an Account Coordinator.
Ashley Summers has been with PlattForm for one and a half years. In her new role as Account Executive, she will be responsible for maintaining and building relationships with PlattForm clients. Summers acts as the liaison between her clients and the internal teams. She began at PlattForm as an Account Coordinator and has been a Marketing Specialist and an Associate Account Executive.

Ad Venture Interactive appoints Evans Gebhardt to its board of directors

OLATHE, Kansas – (April 10, 2008) – Ad Venture Interactive (AVI) today announced that Evans Gebhardt has been appointed to its board of directors.

As president and founder of 3 Peaks Consulting, LLC., Gebhardt oversees the growth and direction of an executive leadership and team development consultancy company. Gebhardt led the development of the 3 Peaks Consulting performance methodology and is responsible for signing on several notable accounts including AIG, Avaya, Cendant/Travelport, Securian Financial, Eos Airlines, SkyeTek, Tendril and Telecom New Zealand.

Gebhardt brings the unique ability to actualize theory in today's increasingly globalized business environment to his role as a director of AVI. "I am looking forward to using my experience in e-commerce and consumer marketing to help the team capitalize on growth opportunities," Gebhardt said.

Gebhardt draws on more than 20 years of experience culled from an executive management career at both Fortune 100 and start-up organizations. Before founding 3 Peaks Consulting, Gebhardt oversaw the growth and profitability of companies including Eos Airlines, Orbitz Worldwide and CheapTickets.com.

"Internet-based businesses have fertile ground from which to grow as more and more consumers switch over from offline channels," Gebhardt said. "Most e-commerce companies have yet to grow through globalization. AVI's management talent and long heritage in helping clients acquire and develop customers positions them well to take advantage of these opportunities."

Gebhardt earned his M.B.A. with a marketing concentration from New York University. He earned his B.A. in Political Science from Hobart College.

PLATTFORM HOLDINGS, INC., ANNOUNCES REORGANIZATION UNDER THE NEW NAME, AD VENTURE INTERACTIVE

NEW YORK (March 24, 2008) – PlattForm Holdings, Inc., announced today that it will reorganize and operate under the new name, Ad Venture Interactive (AVI).

Based in Kansas City, the parent company, AVI, is a full-service interactive marketing and advertising company encompassing three divisions: PlattForm Advertising (PFA), VentureDirect Worldwide (VDW) and Beauty Schools Marketing Group (BSMG). Together, these divisions offer a broad scope of interactive marketing and advertising services to a number of distinct verticals, including Education, Franchise and Business Opportunities, Senior Living, Self-Improvement, Home Services, and Financial Services.

PlattForm CEO Michael Platt will be assuming the newly created role of CEO for Ad Venture Interactive. Platt founded PlattForm as a media placement agency in 1988. It has since become one of the largest providers of interactive lead generation, advertising and marketing services to the career college sector of higher education, specializing in student acquisition for postsecondary education.

In his new position, Platt will oversee and integrate all three divisions of Ad Venture Interactive. He will also manage mergers and acquisitions and work closely with the CEOs of each division to develop the long-term strategy for AVI.

In addition, Dave Admire has been named the new CEO of PlattForm Advertising. Admire has more than a decade of experience in traditional and interactive marketing with PlattForm. Serving in numerous roles, he has helped establish the company's foundation for success in a number of different service offerings. He has served as President and Chief Interactive Officer where he was responsible for increasing Internet lead volume and lead quality for clients. In his new role as CEO, the managing directors of PlattForm will report directly to Admire.

Rich Baumer will continue as CEO of VentureDirect Worldwide. For 25 years, VDW has been a leading marketing services company, providing lead generation and customer acquisition services to advertisers, along with revenue generation services for publishers and list buyers.

"Rarely have I had the opportunity to work with someone who so intuitively understands the interactive lead generation space," Platt said of Baumer. "Rich and his team have built an organization that identifies and solves marketing challenges for companies in numerous industry verticals."

Platt continued, "This reorganization presents an exciting opportunity for me as I get to work with two of the most talented CEOs in the interactive marketing and advertising space. Having that level of leadership in Kansas City allows me the freedom to focus on new initiatives in order to promote the continued growth of AVI and our clients."

Also in the corporate reorganization, Ad Venture has formed a new division that will specialize in providing marketing services to cosmetology schools. This new division, Beauty Schools Marketing Group, will allow AVI to offer new student acquisition services in the form of interactive and traditional marketing services to cosmetology schools, including the 600 plus currently working with their two recently acquired brands, www.beautyschoolsdirectory.com and www.beautyschool.com.

The new division will be led by Managing Director Bridget Duffy. Duffy has more than seven years of marketing experience within AVI's PlattForm Advertising division. In her new position, she will oversee new business acquisition and train and coordinate the sales and client service teams for all clients. Admire will serve as Chief Executive Officer of Beauty Schools Marketing Group.