Press Releases

March 16, 2020 – E&I Cooperative Services (E&I) has named Eric Frank as its next Chief Executive Officer following the retirement of Tom Fitzgerald, who led the Cooperative in this role for 22 years. This decision came after the E&I Board of Directors and an appointed Search Committee conducted a thorough evaluation of internal and external candidates with the help of Korn Ferry, an executive search firm.

“It was incredibly important that we select a candidate who shows commitment to the education sector and vision for the power of collaboration,” said Barry Swanson, E&I Board of Directors President. “I believe wholeheartedly that Eric will continue to build on the Cooperative’s strong foundation while keeping the needs of member institutions at the core of everything E&I does.”

E&I provides a highly valued cost management solution to educational institutions that continue to face relentless budget constraints. In 2019, E&I’s 5,000+ higher education and K-12 members purchased over $2.5 billion of products and services through E&I contracts, generating more than $200 million in institutional savings.

“Access to high quality, affordable education is essential to unlocking human potential and enabling the best quality of life possible,” said Frank. “Every dollar saved by our members is a dollar that can be applied to helping more learners succeed and graduate. I’m honored to have this opportunity to lead an organization with such a noble mission and strong history of delivering on this promise.”

Frank is a proven innovator with extensive leadership experience, having founded, built, and spearheaded growth at two education technology companies: FlatWorld Knowledge Inc. and Acrobatiq Inc. Frank will begin his new role at E&I in the Cooperative’s Jericho headquarters on March 16, 2020.