Educational Directories Unlimited Named to Inner City 100
Company Wins National Award for the Second Year Running
CHESTER, PA, April 7, 2004 -
For the second year in a row, Educational Directories Unlimited, Inc. has been named to the Inner City 100, coming in at number 62 for the year 2004. The Inner City 100 is comprised of the fastest growing businesses based in 55 inner cities in the United States. "We are extremely pleased and honored to be named to the Inner City 100," Educational Directories Unlimited, Inc. (EDU) founder and CEO Mark Shay said. "It is a tribute to our staff and our community to be counted as one of the country's fastest growing companies." The Inner City 100 were announced on Monday, and the winning companies will be profiled in Inc Magazine's May issue, on newsstands this week.
Currently in its sixth year of publication, the Inner City 100 provides original data on the fastest growing inner-city businesses in the service, manufacturing, retail and wholesale/distribution sectors. The Inner City 100 is a joint venture of Inc Magazine and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) and is sponsored nationally by Merrill Lynch. The 2004 Inner City 100 boasts an average annual growth rate of 872 percent for the five year period of 1998 - 2002, which is an increase from the 647 percent of last year's honorees.
During the 1998 - 2001 time frame, EDU had a growth rate of 274 percent, earning it a 62nd place ranking among the top 100. The company provides education-related information via technology driven services and connects students with college-level academic programmers through a series of online directories that offer in-depth and current information on each institution's offerings. EDU's online directories include GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com, EducationforAdults.com and CollegeAbroad.com. The company's headquarters are located in Chester, PA, approximately 10 miles from Center City Philadelphia.
"This is a wonderful honor for not only Educational Directories Unlimited, but also for our city. In order for our city to grow and prosper, economic development must occur in every community. The City of Chester celebrates the successes of the Inner City 100," said Mayor Wendell N. Butler, Jr.
"With the economy in its current state, people are realizing the importance of education, and this is translating directly to our business," EDU's CEO Mark Shay said. "Having success in this difficult economic time is a sign that operating in an urban environment is not only possible, but can be profitable."
The companies honored for being a part of the 2004 Inner City 100 were selected from a pool of more than 7,000 nominations from partners such as the U.S. Conference of Mayors, New America Alliance, and the National Association of Manufacturers. Companies from 155 cities from around the country were nominated, all of them having at least 51 percent of their operations located in economically distressed urban areas. Other criteria for the Inner City 100 include having sales of at least $150,000 in 1998 and an excess of $1 million in 2002.
About Initiative for a Competitive Inner City: The Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) is a national, non-partisan, not-for-profit organization founded in 1994 by Harvard Business School Professor Michael E. Porter, following several years of pioneering research on inner-city business and economic development. With affiliates in three cities and significant on-the-ground activities in many others, ICIC has rapidly established itself as a national force in inner-city economic development. By identifying the competitive potential of inner cities; strategic location, local market demand, growth opportunities via integration with the regional economy and availability of labor, ICIC aims to build the business case for doing business in America's inner cities. ICIC's mission is to spark new thinking about the business potential of inner cities, thereby creating jobs and wealth for inner-city residents. For more information, please visit their website at www.icic.org.
About Inc: Inc is the leading magazine written for the men and women who own and manage small-to-midsized, fast-growing companies. Published 12 times a year, Inc helps its 1.5 million readers by providing expert advice and practical solutions as they face the opportunities, pitfalls and rewards for growing a company. Inc.com, the web site for growing companies, was named Best Online Magazine by Folio and Best Overall New Publication (all media) by the Computer Press Association.
About Educational Directories Unlimited, Inc.: Educational Directories Unlimited, Inc. (www.edudirectories.com) is a unique college-oriented marketing firm that achieves a dynamic blend of academic purpose and commerce. Among Educational Directories Unlimited's computer-based recruiting tools are several comprehensive directories: GradSchools.com, StudyAbroad.com, EducationforAdults.com, CollegeAbroad.com, Distance.GradSchools.com, Business.GradSchools.com, as well as innovative services such as Student Prospector and Student Prospector Administrator. The Educational Directories Unlimited system design provides a unique utility for prospective students, advisors and educational administrators, bridging the three since its inception in 1995.
For more information about Educational Directories Unlimited or any of its subsidiaries, please contact Matt Ulmer at 484-766-9200 or at mulmer@edudirectories.com.