ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Colibri Group (“Colibri”), an education company with leading brands that provide online and in-person learning solutions to licensed professionals, is pleased to announce that the company has closed an investment in Hondros Education Group, a leading national provider of professional education.
“We are excited about two exceptional companies joining forces to become the dominant educator for licensed professionals,” said Linda Hondros, chief executive officer of Hondros Education Group.
With this investment, Colibri Group is expanding licensing and professional education both nationally and locally in real estate, mortgage and appraisal, with real estate schools and colleges in Ohio and Arizona, as well as an expanded national online offering.
"We have always focused on expansion through meaningful partnerships, and becoming a part of Colibri Group brings forward the best of both companies to deliver a stronger education offering for our customers and partners,” said Tina Lapp, president of Hondros Education Group. “Through combined resources we can continue to invest in best in class products, and our customers and partners will now have access to more products, courses and resources. By strategically joining forces, we are better positioned to deliver outstanding quality and service to our customers.”
Hondros Education Group has been a leading education provider for over 50 years and at the forefront of providing a flexible, hybrid-style of education through dynamic in-classroom and online learning experiences.
“Our talented group of associates helped develop our programs to become the best of the best in the industries we serve,” said John Hondros, founder and chairman of Hondros Education Group. “We look forward to building a future where our companies together will elevate education on a national basis.”
Hondros Education Group is the latest investment Colibri Group has made to expand the universe of licensed professionals it serves. Colibri Group serves millions of customers through its portfolio of brands in real estate, appraisal, financial services and healthcare.
“The investment in Hondros Education Group enables us to increase our nationwide footprint while also allowing us to offer a strong local presence,” said Mike Duran, chief executive officer of Colibri Group. “We respect and value what Hondros has built over the last 50 years. Colibri Group offers founders like Linda and John a compelling opportunity to expand and accelerate the vision for the company that they have built from the ground up. By combining forces, we will be able to accelerate our investment in delivering a transformational learning experience to help people manage and advance their careers as they strive to stay at the top of their profession.”
Colibri Group is backed by Gridiron Capital, LLC (“Gridiron Capital”), a leading investment firm focused on partnering with founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams.
ABOUT HONDROS EDUCATION GROUP
Hondros Education Group (HEG) is a leading national provider of professional education. With over 50 years of experience, HEG has educated over one million students through its family of brands made up of Hondros College, Arizona School of Real Estate & Business, Hogan School of Real Estate, Hondros Learning, CompuCram, Learn Mortgage, Hondros College of Business, and Agent Connect. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, HEG offers online and in-classroom courses, exam prep solutions, and textbooks for the real estate, mortgage, appraisal, insurance, and home inspection industries.
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.