News Guide

netTrekker, the leader in personalized learning solutions, today announced that it has re-launched as Knovation.The new entity reflects a transformation of the company’s strategic growth plan and ongoing endeavor to create breakthrough digital content solutions for K-12 education that remove the barriers to learning and address the unique needs of students, teachers, parents and educational administrators.Under the new entity, the netTrekker Search product line will now be sold under the Knovation corporate umbrella.

“Knovation is much more than a new name, it is a new mission,” said Joe Grieshop, president and managing officer of Knovation.“This corporate transformation will allow us to build on the solid foundation of netTrekker Search and deliver breakthrough and disruptive learning solutions that focus on a fundamental shift from a one-way, one-size-fits-all approach to education to a learner-centered approach that minimizes environmental, emotional, functional and stylistic learning barriers and is customized to the unique needs of every learner.”

Building on netTrekker’s history and reputation for “safe search” tools, Knovation has extended its suite of advanced technologies, professional services, and content solutions to deliver learner-centered, micro-curriculum content. As part of its transformation, a restructured leadership team comprised of the best minds in the education and technology industries will lead Knovation. Commissioning one of the largest bodies of parent/student/teacher-based research in the industry designed to understand the unique needs of each, Knovation has already begun building out its advanced services and solutions, and will launch icurio, the company’s digital curriculum content solution for personalized learning, later this month. In addition, the new company will leverage strategic acquisitions to complement existing and future product lines.

Knovation Announces New Leadership
Knovation has re-aligned existing leadership and recruited top industry talent to advance the company’s efforts to deliver powerful, personalized learning solutions.

• Randy Wilhelm, CEO and Co-founder of netTrekker, will continue in his role as CEO of Knovation focusing on thought leadership and product innovation.In addition to his board positions and industry leadership, Wilhelm will engage customers and school districts around the country in advancing personalized learning initiatives.
• Joe Grieshop joined Knovation in 2010 to spearhead its corporate transformation and restructuring.Now serving as President and Managing Officer, Grieshop leads the company’s strategic plan and provides hands-on leadership of research, product development, operations, sales and marketing.
• Steve Nordmark has been appointed as Chief Academic Officer. Formerly Vice President, Solutions Management and Development for netTrekker, he is focused on the convergence of research, technology vision and academia and will direct all areas of technology and development.
• Jeffrey Carter has been appointed as Chief Technology Officer.He was formerly Director of Technology for netTrekker and will continue to oversee the company’s technical strategy and product development.
• Pete Cullen joins Knovation as Vice President of Sales.
• Joe Vallo has been appointed as Chief Accountability Officer.
• Julie Seibert has been appointed as Vice President, Controller overseeing the company’s financial operations.
• Lynn Ochs joins Knovation as Director of Professional Learning.
• Marci Campbell has been appointed as Director of Next Generation Solutions.
• Laura Hannah has been appointed as Director of Marketing.
• Alan Whisman, a 30-year education industry veteran, has been appointed as Director of Content Solutions.
• Ashwin Rao, has been appointed as Director of Enterprise Program Management.

“The Knovation senior management team is comprised of the best people in the industry,” said Randy Wilhelm, CEO and co-founder of Knovation. “This group of leaders is poised to fulfill Knovation’s mission to impact the personalization of learning by delivering the most advanced micro-curriculum content solutions and digital transformation services available in the industry. In the last 12 years we have had the privilege to serve hundreds of thousands of students and their teachers. We’ve only just begun!”

For more information please contact Knovation at 1-855-KNOVATE (566-8283) or visit http://www.knovationlearning.com.

About Knovation
Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Knovation is dedicated to transforming education from a one-way, one-size-fits-all approach to a learner-centered approach that minimizes environmental, emotional, functional and stylistic learning barriers and is customized to the unique needs of every learner. A mission-driven group of academic, technology and business professionals passionate about making a difference in the lives of learners and those that make learning possible, Knovation delivers standards-based, personalized, digital content solutions that empower learners to unlock their curiosity and potential. The Knovation product portfolio includes icurio, the flagship digital curriculum content solution for personalized learning; netTrekker Search, the company’s legacy educational search product and igotta, the personalized student workspace solution developed in partnership with Zeus Learning.Knovation also provides digital transformation services including consultation, planning and professional learning around the transition from print to digital within a classroom. Founded in 1999, Knovation’s legacy platform, netTrekker Search is widely recognized as the leading standards-based educational search tool and currently serves millions of students in thousands of K-12 public and private schools across U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.The vision of Knovation is to ‘Ignite the hope of knowing by reducing the barriers to learning.’