Two years ago, Silverchair Learning Systems, Upstairs Solutions and Care2Learn operated as three separate e-learning firms. But they are all now part of the same company, thanks to another acquisition that dramatically consolidates the sector.
Relias Learning, Silverchair’s parent company, said in May it had acquired Care2Learn from VectorLearning. A year ago, Care2Learn and Upstairs Solutions announced a merger.
Care2Learn has a library of more than 770 courses over 17 disciplines. The combined company’s e-learning solutions and content will serve more than 3,500 organizations and nearly two million people, the companies said.
“By combining with Relias Learning, our Care2Learn clients will have access to an expanded set of content and functionality,” said VectorLearning CEO Tom Wallace.
Relias also owns Essential Learning. The Relias team, led by Jim Triandiflou, includes Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing’s Mike Mutka, Upstairs Solutions co-founder Tamar Abell, and Care2Learn’s Ryan Sparks. Everything will be under the Relias Learning name, Mutka told McKnight’s.
“Both Care2Learn and Upstairs are companies we’ve admired as we’ve competed with them,” Mutka said. While the consolidation means less competition in the e-learning sector, Mutka noted any technology solution has to prove it’s worth the investment.
“I think we’re actually going to be even more motivated to bring a lot of value,” he said.
There will be between 200 and 250 employees, with little attrition expected due to an expanding sales team, he added. “The majority of folks have filled roles in the new team,” which has been “a real blessing.”
Relias is based in Cary, NC, but employees in Bradenton, FL, and Skokie, IL, will remain there “for the foreseeable future,” he forecast.
From the June 01, 2013 Issue of McKnight's Long-Term Care News
