Colorado's Education Sales Management Named #2 Best Employer in Ohio

(HIGHLANDS RANCH, CO – APRIL 17, 2008) Education Sales Management (ESM), an outsourced student admissions and retention center focused exclusively in the education marketplace, took second place in the Best Employers in Ohio competition sponsored by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, the Ohio Society of Human Resource Directors, and Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield. The winners were announced at the Ohio Chamber’s annual meeting in Columbus on April 15.

Highlands Ranch-based ESM, which recently opened its third Colorado facility in Aurora, employs 80 people in its Ohio facility, which opened in 2006. The company takes pride in creating a positive work environment. ESM typically pays wages that are 20-30 percent above industry standards, and the company offers a flexible work schedule, wellness programs and other benefits that employees appreciate.

“Good employers understand that investing in their people generates many cultural and workplace returns,” said ESM founder and CEO Rick Fort. “We are able to attract the best people because we strive to be known as the employer of choice in our markets and a place where people love to come to work every day.”

This is the third year for the Best Employers in Ohio competition. Companies from across the state were evaluated on workplace policies and practices, and an employee survey that measured employee satisfaction. ESM has also placed in the top three the past two years in the Best Companies to Work for in Colorado competition.

ESM helps schools and colleges follow up on inquiries from prospective students and works with students through all phases of the student lifecycle. Many colleges advertise heavily on the Internet but typically have the resources to respond to just 20-30 percent of all the inquiries they get through their Web sites and other online channels. ESM’s technology can increase that response rate to 60-80 percent of prospective students. The company’s employees then transfer calls directly to in-house admissions teams, set up campus appointments, or help students through the entire admissions process. ESM also provides retention services to help students avoid problems that can become roadblocks to graduation.