EducationDynamics Appoints New CEO and Executive Chairman

HOBOKEN, NJ--(Marketwire - Jul 6, 2011) - EducationDynamics, the leading marketing, information and technology services company dedicated to helping higher education institutions find, enroll and retain students, announced today the appointment of Tom Anderson as CEO of EducationDynamics. In addition, the company announced that Tom Reddin, former President and CEO of LendingTree, has joined the Board of Managers as Executive Chairman.

"Marketing and enrollment management in higher education is evolving, including increased regulatory oversight. These seasoned professionals are uniquely qualified to help EducationDynamics, and in turn its clients, navigate these changes and maximize the opportunities," said Bruce Eatroff, partner of Halyard Capital, the private equity firm that owns EducationDynamics. "Tom Anderson brings a unique combination of experience in post-secondary education, financial services, philanthropy and corporate governance, while Tom Reddin has a rich history in consumer marketing and e-commerce. Together, Mssrs. Anderson and Reddin will expand upon EducationDynamics' ongoing commitment to being the most trusted partner for schools and the students they seek to serve."

Tom Anderson joins EducationDynamics with a deep understanding of and experience in post-secondary education. Most recently, Mr. Anderson was President, CEO, and member of the Board of Integrity Interactive, a leading provider of business ethics and compliance solutions for large multi-national corporations to ensure their vendor and supplier networks comply with all relevant regulations. Integrity Interactive was acquired by SAI Global in 2010. Prior to that, Mr. Anderson served as Senior Vice President, Direct to Consumer Channel, at SLM Corporation (commonly known as Sallie Mae, Inc.). He joined SLM Corporation upon its acquisition of UPromise, Inc., an organization designed to help individuals pay for college through their purchasing power, where he served as President, CEO, and member of the Board. Earlier in his career, Mr. Anderson held several positions at Capital One, after serving as a partner at McKinsey & Company. He also currently sits on the Board of Directors of Constant Contact.

"We are fortunate to have attracted a world class leader as the next CEO of EducationDynamics," said Jon Newcomb, a member of the Board's search committee. "Tom brings a passion for education, performance-based marketing and a proven track record of leadership and value creation."

Additionally, Tom Reddin joins EducationDynamics as Executive Chairman of the Board of Managers. Mr. Reddin formerly served as President and then CEO of Lending Tree when it achieved the position of market leader in web-based lending in the United States. Throughout his career, Mr. Reddin held several senior marketing positions, including Vice President of Consumer Marketing for Coca-Cola USA where he was responsible for the Coca-Cola brand and several finance and product management positions at Kraft Foods. Tom is currently Managing Partner of Red Dog Ventures and also sits on the Board of Directors of Valassis Communications, Tanger Factory Outlets, Premier Farnell and the Board of Trustees of Queens University of Charlotte.

Robert "Kam" Kamerschen, a member of the EducationDynamics' Board, added, "We are extremely pleased that Tom Reddin has taken a leadership role on the Board. I have had the pleasure to work with Tom in the past, and his expertise in lead generation combined with his relentless focus on developing a performance-based culture will be hugely valuable to EducationDynamics."

Mr. Anderson replaces Steven Isaac, who has transitioned from CEO to a role as a Senior Advisor to the Company. Mr. Isaac will continue in his role as Chairman of the Company's Industry Advisory Board as well as maintaining his leadership as the head of the Education Marketing Council, a professional association affiliated with The Direct Marketing Association, focused on developing standards of practice for marketing in higher education.

"Steve has been a tremendous partner to Halyard Capital and a visionary leader of the Company," said Bruce Eatroff, partner of Halyard Capital. "Over the last six years, together we have built an exceptional business including completing five acquisitions and redefining the role of the marketing function in post-secondary education. We wish Steve the best as he evolves into his new role."

"This transition is the natural evolution for a business that has grown so successfully over the last six years. We believe the Company has an outstanding opportunity to provide even more value to potential students and the schools as the market seeks greater accountability to match students with the right programs, to ensure they can successfully complete their studies and to help the students find productive employment," concluded Mr. Eatroff.

About EducationDynamics
EducationDynamics, a portfolio company of Halyard Capital, is higher education's leading marketing information and technology services company dedicated to helping institutions find, enroll and retain students. Its content-rich and highly visible education websites, including EarnMyDegree.com, EducationConnection.com, eLearners.com, GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com, TestDriveCollegeOnline.com and its more than 50 special interest microsites, make EducationDynamics the premier provider of qualified prospective students for colleges and universities. In addition, the company offers a full suite of Web-delivered services proven to drive enrollment growth and reduce student attrition, as well as other innovative solutions including LeadWatchLive, its web-based inquiry management system. Through its Aslanian Market Research services, the company brings decades of proprietary research, unparalleled market and student intelligence and best practice insights to its clients. For more information, visit www.educationdynamics.com

About Halyard Capital
Halyard is a private equity firm with over $600 million of capital under management focused on investing in Education, Healthcare Services, Information and Marketing Services, Communications and Media companies. The Firm specializes in middle-market leveraged buyouts, growth equity and structured equity investments. Halyard invests in control positions or non-control investments with strong governance rights. Geographically, the Firm primarily focuses on opportunities in North America and Europe. Halyard invests in and works closely with exceptional management teams in companies with superior market positions, which generate strong cash flow and operate in attractive growth markets. For more information, visit www.halyard.com