EducationDynamics Announces Acquisition of RW Jones Agency and Rankin Climate
The addition of RW Jones’ highly strategic services further enables EducationDynamics to help colleges and universities serve the Modern Learner in a dynamic higher education environment
Lenexa, Kan. (September 30, 2024) – EducationDynamics (EDDY), the nation’s leading experts in marketing and enrollment management services for higher education institutions, is proud to announce the acquisition of the RW Jones Agency (RWJ) and Rankin Climate businesses. RW Jones Agency is a nationally recognized leader in strategic communications, institutional brand marketing and research. Rankin Climate is the leader in campus climate research. EDDY is a portfolio company of Renovus Capital Partners.
The acquisition comes at a time when higher education is facing increasing student enrollment challenges on multiple fronts. The combined Company’s long-term strategic partnerships and marketing execution prowess make it uniquely adept at tackling the key challenges faced by colleges and universities. EducationDynamics is differentiated in its ability to design and execute on a cohesive and unified brand, marketing and enrollment growth strategy.
EducationDynamics CEO Bruce Douglas sees the acquisition as a boon for the clients of EDDY and RW Jones, as well as higher education at large. “Today, most institutions think about students in two buckets: Traditional and Non-Traditional. Schools tend to manage disconnected brands, with separate communications, marketing and enrollment strategies for these two buckets,” says Douglas. “The reality is that the old distinctions no longer apply, with age no longer being a predictor of learning modality. We believe our combined teams of higher education experts will be able to better help colleges and universities thrive, by delivering communications, enrollment, change management and strategic services that impact all members of an institution’s community.”
The RW Jones and Rankin Climate brands and teams will remain in place, and will continue to be led by Scott Willyerd and Sean Rossall.
“It was important to us that RW Jones and Rankin maintain our ability to serve our more than 125 institutional partners. Fortunately, EducationDynamics, RW Jones and Rankin closely align in the commitment and service to higher education and the modern student learner,” says Willyerd. “We believe strongly in the notion that storytelling and great communications drive institutional brand and are fundamental for strong marketing campaigns. In EDDY, we have found a leader in marketing and enrollment management, which allows us the opportunity to provide better solutions to the marketplace.”
“Together, EducationDynamics and RW Jones will continue to challenge the status quo and create unique solutions that transcend enrollment and allow the combined company to engage deeper into the student lifecycle,” said Renovus Principal Ruchi Hazaray. “We are confident that this acquisition will allow EducationDynamics to deliver even more value to its marquee clients. EDDY’s best-in-industry marketing execution capabilities, coupled with RWJ’s strategic services, will enable end-to-end delivery of comprehensive services, proven to improve institutional health and student outcomes.”
About EducationDynamics
EducationDynamics is the transformative strategic partner that helps schools meet the challenges and opportunities of serving the modern learner. Our mission is to expand opportunity through education by helping colleges and universities understand, engage and serve all students. With services that include marketing, enrollment management, market research, inquiry generation, consulting and student retention, we have dedicated the last 35 years to helping schools prosper as the largest provider of unbundled enrollment growth services.
About RW Jones
The RW Jones Agency is a strategic communications and marketing firm focused exclusively on serving higher education. We provide our partners with the research, strategy and action they need to identify audiences, gauge perceptions, strengthen reputations and articulate the points of distinction that set them apart. As trusted collaborators for over 30 years, our dedicated team has served hundreds of organizations nationwide — from R1 flagship and regional public institutions to mid-sized private universities, small liberal arts colleges, education nonprofits and associations. We engage to help lead critical conversations, tackle issues of impact, identify and amplify brands and make the connections that count. For more information, visit: rwjonesagency.com.
About Rankin Climate
Rankin Climate provides data-driven insights that have helped more than 250 institutions with their culture and campus climate. The firm, which is best known for helping institutions build processes and complete campus climate assessments, also serves institutions with DEI consulting and providing interim leadership and support in the Title IX office. For more information, visit: rankinclimate.com.
About Renovus Capital Partners
Founded in 2010, Renovus Capital Partners is a lower middle-market private equity firm specializing in the Knowledge and Talent industries. From its base in the Philadelphia area, Renovus manages over $2 billion of assets across its funds. The firm’s current portfolio includes over 30 U.S. based businesses specializing in education and workforce development and services companies in the technology, healthcare and professional services markets. Renovus typically makes control buyout investments in founder owned businesses, leveraging its industry expertise and operator network to make operational improvements, recruit top talent and pursue add-on acquisitions. Visit us at renovuscapital.com and follow us on LinkedIn.