Concord School of Management Appoints Brent Keltner as New Vice President of Marketing and Development

Boston, Massachusetts, October 22, 2002 - In a move to build the school's worldwide reputation and support its aggressive growth objectives, Concord School of Management, Kaplan, Inc.'s latest acquisition in continuing education aimed at providing management training to experienced international professionals, has appointed Brent Keltner as the new Vice President of Marketing and Development. Keltner, a highly respected industry executive, will oversee strategic marketing and corporate development efforts.

Kaplan Inc. recently signed a letter of intent to acquire the School, previously the Arthur D. Little School of Management (ADL SOM). The Massachusetts Board of Higher Education subsequently approved ADL SOM's request to rename the School the Concord School of Management (CSOM) as well as its request to change the title of its degree from Master of Science in Management (MSM) to One-Year Master of Business Administration (MBA).

"The school's recent changes increased our branding and marketing needs," said William Harper, President of CSOM, noting that the school's marketing budget has been tripled for this effort. "Brent's hiring demonstrates a greater outward focus for the school, as well as our goal to build upon the school's worldwide reputation under our new name and to build our domestic reputation as of the world's best global MBA programs."

In the 2001 MBA Career Guide, one thousand MBA recruiters identified the School as one of the 30 best international programs in the U.S. (Source: MBA Career Guide, 2001). Additionally, in a recent ranking of the top 100 business schools from the Economist Intelligence Unit, the School ranked one of the top three in Massachusetts, 34th in the US and 54th globally, ahead of many larger and better known institutions.

Keltner is primarily responsible for the marketing strategy of the school including overall branding and positioning for the school, focusing on building its domestic reputation and enhancing its international reputation. In addition, Keltner heads up communications strategy for the school's many stakeholders, including alumni, students, staff, trustees, corporate sponsors and strategic partners. He also manages student recruiting.

A 10-year veteran of the international education and training market, Keltner brings with him valuable experience in both business and product development. Keltner joins Concord from English Exchange, Inc., an English language training company he co-founded. He also served as a global technology strategy consultant to Citigroup, where he developed Internet and channel marketing strategy for the company's brokerage, consumer banking and corporate banking businesses. Prior to that, Keltner was a senior analyst for the RAND Corporation, where he raised over a $1 million in project funds, and presided over a series of projects on corporate training and professional development for leading global companies in Europe, Asia, and the United States.

Additionally, Keltner spent years working and studying abroad in countries such as Germany, England, Costa Rica, Mexico and Japan. An amateur linguist, Keltner speaks English, German and Spanish fluently with a touch of Japanese. Keltner earned his Ph.D. in International Politics from Stanford University and a B.A. magna cum laude from Pomona College.

"Brent's hiring was the result of an exhaustive six month search," said Harper. "It's not easy finding someone with terrific international marketing experience who also has high-quality academic experience. Brent has worked with some of the industry's best, and will be a great source of insight and ingenuity. We are proud to have him become a member of our management team, and believe that he will make a significant contribution towards our school's continued success."

With one of the world's top global MBA programs, CSOM attracts students from over 25 countries. Historically, over 90% of the School's students come from outside the U.S., making it the most international business school in the United States.

About Kaplan Higher Education
Kaplan, Inc.'s Higher Education Division includes 44 campus-based schools in 12 states, as well as online programs toward numerous degrees. Kaplan has been providing educational and career services to students, schools, professionals, and businesses worldwide for more than 60 years. Kaplan is a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO). For more information about Kaplan, please visit http://www.kaplan.com.

Press Contacts:

Carina Wong
212-492-5992
carina_wong@kaplan.com

Tammy Fang
212-492-5965
tammy_fang@kaplan.com

Printable Version