Todd S. Nelson

Last updated
Todd S. Nelson
NationalityAmerican
Alma mater Brigham Young University, University of Nevada, Reno
Occupation(s)CEO, Perdoceo Education Corporation

Todd S. Nelson is an American businessman who has been the CEO of three of America's largest for-profit college chains: Apollo Group, Education Management Corporation, and Career Education Corporation. He is currently the Executive Chairman of Perdoceo Education Corporation, the parent company of Colorado Technical University, American Intercontinental University, and Trident University International.

Contents

Early life

Todd S. Nelson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1982 from Brigham Young University and an MBA from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1983. He was a faculty member at the University of Nevada Las Vegas from 1983 to 1984. [1]

Apollo Group (1987–2006)

Nelson started with Apollo Group in 1987 as the director of the University of Phoenix's Utah campus, and was named executive vice president of University of Phoenix in 1989, vice president of Apollo Group in 1994, president of Apollo Group in 1998, CEO of Apollo in 2001, and chairman of the board in 2004. [2] During Nelson's tenure, the company changed its business practices from relying on corporate investments in employee education and enrolling mid-level employees at major companies to relying on government funds and open enrollment. [3] Nelson resigned in 2006 after University of Phoenix faced allegations of illegal business practices. At the time of Nelson's resignation, Apollo Group's annual revenues were $2.2 billion with an enrollment of more than 300,000 students. [4] [5] [6] Nelson's compensation package was $22.1 million in 2005, with a 5-year compensation of $61 million. [7] His compensation package in 2006 was $41.3 million. [8]

Education Management Corporation (2007–2015)

Nelson was CEO of Education Management (EDMC) from 2007 to 2015, bringing several Apollo Group executives to the company. EDMC's schools included the Art Institutes, Argosy University, Brown Mackie College, and South University. During his time at EDMC, the company grew into the second largest US for-profit college chain and faced allegations of illegal enrolment tactics. Nelson's highest annual compensation was $13.1 million. [9] [10] [11] In 2017, EDMC filed for bankruptcy. [12] [13]

Career Education Corporation-Perdoceo (2015–present)

Nelson was the CEO of Perdoceo Education Corporation (formerly known as Career Education Corporation) from 2015 to 2022. Nelson guided the company through several school closings, including the shuttering of Le Cordon Bleu, Briarcliffe College and Sanford-Brown campuses. [14] Perdoceo is the parent company of Colorado Technical University, American Intercontinental University, and Trident University International. In 2019, Nelson made $7.4 million in total compensation. [15] He currently holds about $12 million in equities from the company. [16] In January 2022, Nelson stepped down as CEO of Perdoceo but continued as Executive Chairman. [17]

See also

Related Research Articles

John Glen Sperling was an American billionaire businessman who is credited with having led the contemporary for-profit education movement in the United States The fortune he amassed was based on his founding of the for-profit University of Phoenix for working adults in 1976, which became part of the publicly traded Apollo Group. Sperling brought the business model of higher education to the forefront, a model that employed the scientific management of higher education to the forefront: diminishing the power and importance of labor, increasing the importance of technology, marketing and advertising, and as University of Phoenix cofounder John D. Murphy explained, maximizing profit. For ventures ranging from pet cloning to green energy, he has widely been described as an "eccentric" self-made man by The Washington Post and other media.

University of Phoenix (UoPX) is a private for-profit university headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 1976, the university confers certificates and degrees at the certificate, associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degree levels. It is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and has an open enrollment admissions policy for many undergraduate programs. The school is owned by Apollo Global Management and Vistria Group, two US private-equity firms, but is in the process of being sold. The University of Idaho announced in May 2023 its intention to acquire University of Phoenix for $550 million.

The Art Institutes (AI) are a collection of independently operated art schools in the United States. Since 2019, the schools have been owned by Education Principle Foundation, a non-profit that also owns South University. The Art Institutes offer programs at the certificate, associate's, bachelors, and master's levels. The Art Institutes have faced accreditation and legal issues and student loan debtors have appealed to the US Department of Education for debt cancellation through defense to repayment claims. These efforts are premised on allegations they were defrauded. The student debt group "I Am Ai" has acted as a support group for students and former students of the Art Institutes, offering advice about debt cancellation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apollo Education Group</span> Corporation based in Phoenix, Arizona

Apollo Education Group, Inc. is an American corporation based in the South Phoenix area of Phoenix, Arizona, with an additional corporate office in Chicago, Illinois. It is privately-owned by a consortium of investors including The Vistria Group, LLC and funds affiliated with Apollo Global Management, LLC.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado Technical University</span>

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Argosy University was a system of for-profit colleges owned by Dream Center Education Holdings (DCEH), LLC and Education Management Corporation.

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South University is a private university with its main campus and online operations in Savannah, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1899, South University consists of its School of Pharmacy, College of Nursing and Public Health, College of Health Professions, College of Business, College of Theology, and College of Arts and Sciences. The university is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. South University is owned by Education Principle Foundation, a non-profit which also owns the Art Institutes.

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The Art Institute of York – Pennsylvania was a for-profit college, part of The Art Institutes, a system of over 35 education institutions throughout North America, providing education in design, media arts, fashion and culinary arts.

Education Management Corporation (EDMC) was a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based operator of for-profit post-secondary educational institutions in the United States and Canada. The company was founded in 1962. At its peak in 2011, Education Management Corporation operated 110 schools through its higher education divisions: Argosy University, The Art Institutes, Brown Mackie College, and South University, and enrolled 158,300 students.

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References

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  2. "Apollo Group, Inc 10K" (PDF). www.annualreports.com. Securities and Exchange Commission. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  3. Murphy, John D. (May 2013). Mission Forsaken: The University of Phoenix Affair with Wall Street. Proving Ground Education. ISBN   9780966968316.
  4. Blumenstyk, Goldie (12 January 2006). "Chief Executive of U. of Phoenix's Parent Company Quits Abruptly". www.chronicle.com. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  5. KAHN, CHRIS. "University of Phoenix parent company guilty of fraud". tucson.com. Tucson.com. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  6. Lewin, Tamar (27 May 2011). "Questions Follow Leader of For-Profit Colleges". The New York Times . Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  7. "Todd S. Nelson". Forbes. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  8. "25 Highest-paid men". fortune.com. Fortune. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  9. Blumenstyk, Goldie (9 February 2007). "Todd Nelson Returns to Higher Education as Chief Executive of Education Management Corp". /www.chronicle.com. Chronicle of Higher Education. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  10. Deitch, Charlie (19 March 2019). "Most Likely To Screw You Over: Remembering The People Who Got The Most Out Of Pittsburgh'sEDMC And The Art Institute — The Executives". www.pittsburghcurrent.com. Pittsburgh Current. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  11. Burd, Steven. "The Transformation of EDMC". www.newamerica.org. New America. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  12. BOSELOVIC, LEN; SHELLY, NORA. "As EDMC files bankruptcy, Dream Center halts enrollment at a number of schools". www.post-gazette.com. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  13. MALLOY, DANIEL. "EDMC's for-profit schools under scrutiny for recruiting practices". www.post-gazette.com. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  14. Stewart, Ian (3 January 2019). "Nearly 180,000 Students Won't Have To Repay Loans From For-Profit Higher Ed Company". NPR. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  15. "Todd S. Nelson". www1.salary.com. Salary.com. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  16. "Todd S. Nelson - Biography". www.marketscreener.com. Market Screener. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  17. "Perdoceo CEO Todd Nelson leaves his post". exechange.com. Exechange. Retrieved 5 April 2023.