Business Services & Software

PlattForm Holdings, a Portfolio Company of Arlington Capital Partners, Announces Acquisition of PFP Advertising, Inc. (U.S. College Search)

Aug. 11, 2006 – PlattForm Holdings, Inc., a leading enrollment solutions provider to the post-secondary education industry, today announced the acquisition of PFP Advertising, Inc., a leading internet lead generation company.

PFP Advertising, doing business as U.S. College Search, owns a variety of websites that generate leads and potential student enrollments for the post-secondary education industry, such as www.uscollegesearch.org, www.technical-schools-guide.com,www.californiacollegesearch.com, and www.vocational-schools-guide.com.

“We are excited to add the proprietary websites of U.S. College Search, such as www.uscollegesearch.org, to PlattForm’s existing portfolio of websites,” said Michael Platt, CEO of PlattForm. “The acquisition strengthens our ability to generate internet student leads as potential students increasingly use the internet to research their post-secondary education options.”

PlattForm’s enrollment solutions include internet marketing services, media placement services for the television, print, and radio markets, creative and production, direct mail services, public relations, and inbound as well as outbound contact center services, all of which are designed to assist clients in attracting, enrolling and retaining students. Within PlattForm’s industry leading internet marketing product line, enrollment solutions include search engine optimization, paid-inclusion placement, affiliate marketing, pay-per-click advertising, CPL-based lead generation, interactive lead management and website design and development.

PlattForm also has its own developed web sites, such as www.search4careercolleges.com and www.careerexplorer.net, which provide information to potential students and leads to schools on a guaranteed cost per lead basis. The company offers enrollment solutions to both for-profit and not-for-profit school groups, as well as to select segments of the U.S. Armed Services.

PlattForm is a portfolio company of Arlington Capital Partners, a Washington, DC-based private equity firm. “This acquisition is a continuation of our investment thesis in PlattForm in partnership with their management team” said Jeffrey Freed of Arlington Capital Partners. “We are working with the PlattForm team to seek additional acquisitions for the company to deepen its product and service offerings.”

John Bates of Arlington Capital Partners said, “We believe that internet lead generation represents an attractive area for investment in the education industry. This acquisition strengthens PlattForm’s ability to source organic leads, thereby offering incremental value for PlattForm’s existing and potential customers.

About PlattForm Holdings:

PlattForm Holdings, Inc. is a leading enrollment solutions provider to the post-secondary education industry.  Based out of Olathe, Kansas and with 300 employees, PlattForm’s enrollment solutions include internet marketing services, media placement services for the television, print, and radio markets, creative and production, direct mail services, public relations, and inbound as well as outbound contact center services, all of which are designed to assist clients in attracting, enrolling and retaining students.  Within PlattForm’s industry leading internet marketing product line, enrollment solutions include search engine optimization, paid-inclusion placement, affiliate marketing, pay-per-click advertising, CPL-based lead generation, interactive lead management and website design and development.  PlattForm also has its own developed websites, such as www.search4careercolleges.com andwww.careerexplorer.net, which provide information to potential students and leads to schools on a guaranteed cost per lead basis.  The company offers enrollment solutions to both for-profit and not-for-profit school groups, as well as to select segments of the U.S. Armed Services.

About Arlington Capital Partners:

Arlington Capital Partners is a Washington, DC-based private equity fund with over $1 billion of committed capital focused on middle market buyout investment opportunities in growth industries including: education and training, aerospace/defense, IT and engineering services, media, healthcare services, business services and outsourcing, and specialized manufacturing and related industries. The firm’s professionals have a unique combination of operating and private equity experience that enables Arlington to be a value-added investor. Arlington invests in companies in partnership with high quality management teams that are motivated to establish and/or advance their company’s position as leading competitors in their field.

SOURCE: PlattForm Holdings and Arlington Capital Partners