Academic Partnerships Names Carl Sparks as CEO

DALLAS, April 28, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Academic Partnerships (AP) today announced that it has appointed Carl Sparks as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Sparks is the former president and CEO of Travelocity, a global pioneer of online innovation that transformed the travel industry.

Sparks joins rapidly growing AP as the company is solidifying its global leadership as an online service provider of technology-aided learning for non-profit universities. AP helps faculty members convert degree programs into an online format, recruits qualified students for those programs and helps retain students through successful graduation.

"Carl has been a friend of AP for more than a year, and we are proud to have him assume leadership of our organization. His exceptional background and experience that combines technology, marketing and innovation will immediately benefit AP partner universities as they seek to rapidly expand their market share," said Randy Best, founder of Academic Partnerships. "I am looking forward to supporting Carl as he takes AP to the next level and maximizes its potential."

Prior to running Travelocity, Sparks served as chief marketing officer of Expedia, general manager of Hotels.com North America, and president of the online retailer Gilt.com.

"I am a huge believer in higher education as a transformative force that changes peoples' lives and societies as a whole. As I look at AP's impact of helping partner universities reach more students than ever before by providing high-quality post-secondary education, I am truly proud of our social commitment to access and affordability," Sparks said. "I look forward to being part of a transformation in an industry that embraces innovation for all the right societal reasons."

Best will remain Chairman of Academic Partnerships. In addition to his CEO role, Sparks will also join the AP board of directors.

About Academic Partnerships
Academic Partnerships is a leading online service provider for higher education globally. The company assists universities in converting their on-campus degree programs into an online format, recruits qualified students for those programs, and supports enrolled students through graduation. Serving public and private not-for-profit universities in the United States and top international institutions, Academic Partnerships is guided by the principle that the opportunities presented through technology-aided learning make higher education more accessible and achievable. The company was founded by a social entrepreneur, Randy Best, who has spent nearly 20 years developing innovative learning solutions to improve education. For more information, please visit www.academicpartnerships.com.

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SOURCE Academic Partnerships

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http://www.academicpartnerships.com