By Adrienne L. Way, Owner & CEO
2021 marks a significant anniversary for Edcor. Founded in 1981, we celebrate 40 years in business this year. That means it’s our 40th anniversary of making people’s education goals come to fruition. We think that’s something to be proud of.
A Look back at our history, as we focus on our future
For those that do not know, Edcor traces its roots back to 1981 when it first pioneered the tuition reimbursement administration service. Back then, the company, originated by Sidney Lutz (“Sidney”) was named Lutz Associates (“Lutz”). Not long after inception Lutz Associates became Edcor, short for Education Corporation.
In those early years, Edcor focused on tuition reimbursement benefits for large corporations located nearby in southeastern Michigan. As large companies recognized the value in outsourcing non-mission critical functions, Edcor quickly became the leader in tuition administration outsourcing. Edcor began to expand geographically to seek out market opportunities throughout the United States and North America. Since that time, the Edcor family of valued clients has steadily grown. Edcor continues to demonstrate the ability to provide added value to organizations that seek to leverage our specialized services to attract new employees, develop existing employees, and reduce overall employee attrition.
As word of Edcor’s unique business model continued to spread, it attracted the attention of the Fisher Group, a holding company founded by Max M. Fisher. Max M. Fisher was a renowned industrialist and philanthropist who served as special advisor to the administrations of four U.S. presidents. In 1990, Edcor was acquired by the Fisher Group, and the business continued to grow and prosper under their financial backing. Eventually, Edcor would become the largest tuition administration provider in North America!
In 2010, after 20 years of Fisher Family management, Edcor became a Woman Owned Business when via a management buyout it resulted in its President and Chief Executive Officer, Adrienne L. Way, becoming the sole owner of the company. Edcor rebranded at this same time with a new logo, website and culture embracing a “How can we” philosophy benefitting all Edcor Stakeholders. We have continued to grow and evolve over the last 11 years.
Edcor has always been an early adopter of new technology using Internet and web-based applications well before the rest of the benefit industry. In fact – throughout its history Edcor has been proactively bringing innovation to its Clients. Edcor’s history of investing in improvements in technology and processes has positioned us as a long-term, valued service provider to some of the world’s most dynamic and successful corporations and healthcare organizations. Some of our Clients have been with us for almost 25 years! We are so proud and thankful for these Clients and their long-term belief in the Edcor team and our services.
It’s all about our people
With a fully U.S.-based team and a reputation for combining innovative technology with the back-to-basics unwavering attention to people, Edcor is known as a Company that values human touch and service above all else. In addition to this unique and singular focus on Clients and their employees, our attention to what matters to our own Edcor team has created a workforce whose longevity and dedication are known industry wide.
We have built a strong reputation on the rare combination of service, technology, and a true willingness to partner. In today’s business world, it is uncommon to find a company that is at the top of its game in all these areas, and that’s why Clients initially choose and then stay with Edcor over the long run.
We have learned so much from our history and will use those lessons and experience moving forward. But, as proud and as excited as we are about our past, we are truly passionate about the future. Edcor will continue to innovate and provide new services and technology to our valued Clients. We will continue to support our own employees’ growth, because without them Edcor cannot succeed.
We will celebrate throughout the year, using our specially designed ’40 year’ logo, sending out weekly emails celebrating our history and anything else we can pack in. Thank you to our own Edcor team, our partners and all of our valued Clients.
Let’s Future Together!
