GeoLearning

GeoLearning, Inc.

Type	Private
Industry	Computer Software
Founded	1997
Headquarters	West Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Products	Business software
Website	www.geolearning.com

GeoLearning, Inc., was a US company headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, offering on-demand software as a service (SaaS) learning management system (LMS) solutions for corporate internal training, talent management and external initiatives.^[1][2]

History

Founded in 1997 by Frank A. Russell, president and CEO, and his wife Linda in the basement of their home,^[3] GeoLearning grew to employ 280 people. The company provided services to more than 800 organizations, including more than six million users from 160 countries around the world in 16 languages, in the field of on-demand learning and performance management platforms and training services. GeoLearning’s approach allowed users to work with a number of the company’s partner organizations. ^{[4] [5] [6]}

In February 2008, GeoLearning secured a growth equity investment of $31 million from Fidelity Ventures. The funds, which represented the first institutional investment for the company, were utilized to accelerate the company’s sales and marketing efforts, continued building of its international presence and channel partner network, and potential acquisitions. ^[7]

On January 5, 2011, Geolearning was acquired by SumTotal.^[8]

Awards

GeoLearning has been recognized with several awards, including ranking on the Inc. 500/5000^[9] list of America's fastest-growing private companies for seven consecutive years (2004–2010), six years on the Software 500 list (2005–2010), "Training Product of the Year" from HR Executive Magazine, several American Business Awards (including "Most Innovative Company"), and TrainingIndustry.com's list of the "Top 20 Companies in the Training Outsourcing Industry" for six successive years (2004–09).^[10]

In 2010, GeoLearning was named a finalist for “Business Innovation of the Year” from the American Business Awards for its Extended Enterprise solution,^[11] winner of “Software Company of the Year” at the Prometheus Awards from the Technology Association of Iowa (TAI),^[12] finalist for “Best Corporate Learning Solution” at the Codie Awards from the Software & Information Industry Association^[13] and named to the “Baker’s Dozen: Top Learning Providers” from Human Resources Outsourcing Today magazine.^[14]

Frank A. Russell was named CEO of the Year at the 2009 Prometheus Awards sponsored by the TAI.^[15] He was voted to Training Industry's 2007 list of the "Most Influential Training Professionals" by his peers in the industry and was the 2006 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Des Moines Business Record. In 2005, Frank received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Business Services category for the Central Midwest Region^[16] and was named Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Iowa by the U.S. Small Business Administration.^{[17] [18] [19]}

References

External links

• GeoLearning Corporate Website