Local News

Carrboro-Based E-Learning Company To Merge With Florida Firm

Posted Updated

CARRBORO, NC — Isoph Corporation, a five-year-old e-learning firm with a list of high-profile clients, is merging with a Florida company.

Isoph will become part of LearnSomething, Inc., which also provides e-learning solutions. LearnSomething will be the name for the merged firm. Its headquarters will be in Tallahassee.

However, LearnSomething will maintain the Isoph operation in Carrboro as well as an office in Los Angeles, according to Isoph Chief Executive Officer Jeff Cobb.

As part of the deal, Cobb will become vice president of business development for LearnSomething. His wife, Celisa Steele, who was chief operating officer of Isoph, will become vice president of operations for the merged company.

All 10 Isoph employees will join LearnSomething, Cobb told WRAL Local Tech Wire.

Financial terms of the merger were not disclosed.

"This was just a natural evolution," Cobb said of the merger. "We have worked together in the past, and we both have a focus on associations. The impact on our clients will be extremely positive."

Isoph's list of non-profit and association clients includes the Society for Human Resource Management, the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the American Correctional Association, the American Red Cross, America's Second Harvest, the National Wildlife Federation, and Web Junction. The latter is a project of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

"Like Isoph, LearnSomething has a long-standing commitment to working with associations, and now, through the combined resources of the two companies, we'll be able to offer more complete solutions to our joint client base," said Steve Roden, president and chief executive officer of LearnSomething, in a statement. "Isoph has a tremendous track record of assisting nonprofits and associations. It makes perfect business sense to join forces and help our combined customer base generate non-dues revenue and meet the growing demand for e-learning."

Isoph offers a hosted e-learning program called Isoph Blue. LearnSomething offers its own variety of e-learning solutions with different areas of expertise. The companies have worked on a variety of joint projects over the past year.

As an example, Cobb cited a project with America's Second Harvest where its Isoph Blue program was augmented by food safety course information from LearnSomething.

"LearnSomething has a catalog of products that are of interest to our clients, such as compliance and certification," Cobb explained.

The three executives that drove the deal are also familiar with each other. All worked for another e-learning firm, Quisic, before launching their current ventures.

Isoph is privately held and is self-financed.

LearnSomething clients include the Food Marketing Institute, the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, and the American Pharmacist's Association. Others are Kroger, Rite Aid and CVS.

Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.