“This is an award that John has truly earned, and we’re very pleased that his outstanding service has been recognized,” said Career Step CEO Mike Wilstead. “John was instrumental in negotiating the sale of the Company from the original founder to the current investors in February 2009 and was an important player in transitioning of the Company to the new management team. Career Step’s growth and success in the last year is largely due to John’s ability to balance the needs of new and old investors alike and his exceptional operational management skills.”

Utah Business Magazine’s 2010 CFO of the Year program recognized 16 CFOs from a variety of different businesses all over Utah, including honorees from the private, public, non-profit, and government sectors.

Mr. Hiatt was selected as a CFO of the Year within the small, private company category and was chosen from among those nominated for his solid financial leadership during an intense period of growth. In 2009, Career Step increased its earnings by 25 percent, its sales by 30 percent and its product offerings by 50 percent.

Mr. Hiatt was recognized at an awards banquet held at the Little America Hotel in Salt Lake City, and the June 2010 Utah Magazine issue includes an in-depth feature on Mr. Hiatt as well as the other honored Utah CFOs.

About Career Step
Career Step, a leading online healthcare education company, enjoys a tremendous market advantage in the industry by virtue of its reputation as an innovative, competency-based training company. Career Step is committed to helping each enrolling student graduate and successfully transition to a rewarding career. For more information on Career Step, please visit www.careerstep.com or call 1-800-246-7837.

“We are very proud of the growth Career Step has achieved over the last nine years,” said Michael Wilstead, Career Step CEO. “There are very few companies who have such a consistent record of appearing on the Utah 100, and we appreciate the hard work of all of our employees, both past and present, who have made this growth possible.”

Governor Gary R. Herbert was the keynote speaker at the annual awards banquet and expressed his appreciation for the Utah 100 companies, which are strong performers despite the nation’s struggling economy.

“Being a nine-time winner of the Utah 100 is an amazing accomplishment,” said Steve Stauffer, this year’s chair of the Utah 100 program. “Career Step has continued to thrive even in this difficult economy. They are a great Utah company, and I congratulate them on their achievements.”

The companies named to the Utah 100 are chosen from thousands of applications submitted to the MountainWest Capital Network. Applicants and award winners represent a variety of industries including education, retail, technology, healthcare, and financial services, among others.

About Career Step

Career Step, a leading online healthcare education company, enjoys a tremendous market advantage in the industry by virtue of its reputation as an innovative, competency-based training company. Career Step is committed to helping each enrolling student graduate and successfully transition to a rewarding career. For more information on Career Step, please visit www.careerstep.com or call 1-800-246-7837.

About MountainWest Capital Network

Founded in Salt Lake City in 1983, the objective of the MountainWest Capital Network – the real Deal Network – is to support entrepreneurial success and enable business growth by fostering the dynamic flow of information about capital formation and distribution, educating and mentoring excellence, recognizing and rewarding business success and performance, and fostering synergistic relationships through networking. MWCN has provided the Deal Flow Report since 1995. www.mwcn.org

PROVO, Utah—Career Step, a leading healthcare education company, has been named as one of Utah’s 50 fastest growing companies by Utah Business Magazine’s second annual “Fast 50” award program. The companies recognized by this year’s award program were announced at an awards luncheon on Thursday.

“This award recognizes the efforts of Career Step’s founders and employees—past and present—who have worked so hard over the years to bring Career Step to where it is today,” said Michael Wilstead, Career Step CEO. “We’re incredibly honored by this recognition and pleased with the acknowledgement of the innovative business approaches and entrepreneurial spirit of Career Step.”

The Fast 50 program is designed to showcase those companies that have shown significant revenue growth, innovative business tactics and strategies, and an entrepreneurial spirit. The 2009 program is the second annual event held by Utah Business Magazine. This year’s event was held in conjunction with sponsors Kirton & McConkie and CBIZ and Mayer, Hoffman, McCann P.C.

Career Step offers online training programs in medical transcription and medical coding and billing. These programs allow students to train at home, at their own pace and on their own schedules, for careers within the growing healthcare industry. The hallmarks of Career Step’s educational format are the emphasis placed on hands-on, practical training and the focus on one-on-one, personal student support.

Career Step will be featured, along with the other companies recognized, in the September 2009 issue of Utah Business Magazine.

About Career Step

Career Step, a leading online healthcare education company, enjoys a tremendous market advantage in the industry by virtue of its reputation as an innovative, competency-based training company. Career Step is committed to helping each enrolling student graduate and successfully transition to a rewarding career. For more information on Career Step, please visit www.careerstep.com or call 1-800-246-7837.

For many women, the ability to work from home so they can be near their children is a wonderful dream. For Tracee Farmer, a single mother, it’s now a dream come true. Career Step was asked by Women For Hire CEO Tory Johnson, who is also the workplace contributor for Good Morning America, to provide a full scholarship for its Platinum Medical Transcription course to Farmer worth $3,500. Johnson shared the news with Farmer live on GMA.She will now be able to do her training from the comfort of her own home, and support her family in the growing field of medical transcription.

Career Step, LLC, based in Springville, Utah, was founded in 1992 by Andrea L. Anaya as a company striving to help people improve their lives.  Since its founding, Career Step has provided distance education services to tens of thousands of students from all 50 states.

Farmer’s scholarship is one way Career Step reaches out to help people rise above their own circumstances. As a single mother, the balance of working and raising a family is a delicate one, and Farmer now has the opportunity to do both with more ease.

About Career Step

Career Step is the nation’s leading provider of online medical transcription and medical coding training placing over 85% of graduates in a rewarding career within two months of graduation. With a proven and proprietary online education platform, Career Step is positioned to lead the worldwide allied healthcare industry in training and assessment. Visit http://www.careerstep.com.

Career Step Honored as part of Utah’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies for the Eighth Consecutive Year

Career Step continues to prove that consistent growth is contingent upon an excellent reputation of helping its students achieve their career dreams. For the eighth consecutive year Career Step was awarded a place in Utah’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies by the MountainWest Capital Network. Only a few other firms have found themselves in this position more than eight consecutive times.

Utah State Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. was this year’s keynote speaker, and the awards were presented by Bob Evans and Hope Woodside of Fox 13 News.

“The Utah 100 program is an important contribution to the Utah business community. It provides a forum for highlighting the achievements of both emerging and mature business and keeps the public informed about positive developments,” said Steve Stauffer, Chairman of this year’s Utah 100 Program and a partner with the accounting firm of Grant Thornton LLP. “The Utah 100 award has become a prestigious recognition for our winners and has significant meaning to those who receive it. These awards will signify to the Utah business community, as well as those outside our state, that Utah continues to be a great place to do business.”

Awards in the 100 Fastest Growing category are based on percentage revenue increases from 2003 through 2007.

Click here for more information: http://mwcn.yourmembership.com/?page=Utah100

Career Step employees pose with the Top 100 award.

James Allred and John Hiatt dining at the event.

Jerolyn Carter, Emily Hall and Christy Duffin.

Brian Anderson, Cameron Loflin, Maren Toone and Jerolyn Carter.

]]> http://www.careerstep.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=150 http://www.careerstep.com/blog/?p=31 http://www.careerstep.com/blog/?p=31#comments Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:42:17 +0000 Troy http://www.careerstep.com/blog/?p=31 MEDIA CONTACT: Cameron Loflin , 801-812-4121, cameron@careerstep.com

Record Numbers Turn to Career Step Medical Training in Down Economy

Career Step Breaks Student Enrollment Records Despite Tough Economy

SPRINGVILLE, UT, SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 – Career Step reached a landmark on September 19th by enrolling 1000 new students in a single month for the first time in the company’s history. Not only did Career Step reach their goal of 1000 enrollments, they surpassed it with ease, enrolling over 1000 new students in the medical transcription course and nearly 260 in the medical coding course. The company attributes the great success to two excellent new editions of its courses that were recently unveiled, a dedicated and caring staff, a keen marketing strategy, a growing medical industry, and the reputation of Career Step as being the leader in allowing people to achieve their career dreams.

LaChelle Hansen was the 1000th student to enroll in a Career Step course in the month of September. She is pursuing medical transcription and said of Career Step, “My experiences with Career Step have been nothing but positive.”  Having recently given birth to a son and being concerned about the nation’s economy, LaChelle turned to Career Step as an answer to both.  “Medical transcription seemed like the perfect skill to learn, because I would be able to stay home with my son, set my own schedule, and do as much or as little as I want. It’s also reliable, because no matter how bad the economy gets, there will always be a need for people in the medical field. I’m really excited about taking the medical transcription course—it’s an awesome opportunity to learn so many new and interesting things,“ LaChelle said.

More and more people are turning to Career Step to help them reach their personal and financial goals.  Medical transcription is one of the fastest growing occupations in the United States. According to the Department of Labor, medical transcription employment is projected to grow 14% between 2006 and 2016. This is faster than the average growth for all occupations. This growth is due to the aging population, longer life spans, and new treatments and procedures.

Since Career Step was founded in 1992 by Andrea Anaya, it has been run on the same mission statement: “Career Step is dedicated to positively impacting the lives of students, graduates, employees, clients, owners, and vendors through the daily application of Christ-like principles—integrity, honesty, respect, and services.” As Career Step celebrates it’s record-breaking enrollments, it does so knowing that it has accomplished this goal through the application of these principles.

Celeste Harjehausen, the Chief Operations Officer of Career Step, addressed Career Step employees to congratulate and celebrate the milestone enrollments: “Career Step advances and hits milestones because of the contributions, day after day, of the amazing people who work here. Our record-breaking achievements are not only impressive from within our Career Step community, they are impressive achievements in the healthcare industry and in the wider world of business.”

Career Step is moving forward in allied medical training and celebrates the accomplishments of its employees, affiliates, students, and community. Career Step is excited to hit new milestones and satisfy the needs and goals of its many students, past and present, as they forge ahead.

Career Step Ranks Among America’s Top 50 Education Companies

Career Step Ranks No. 2671 on the 2008 Inc. 5000
With Three-Year Sales Growth of 136.5%

NEW YORK, September 23, 2008 – Inc.com ranked Career Step No. 2671 on its annual ranking of the 5000 fastest-growing private companies in the country. Career Step is also No. 28 on the Top 50 Education company list. The Inc. 5000 list is the most comprehensive look at the most important segment of the economy—America’s independent-minded entrepreneurs.  Taken as a whole, these companies represent the backbone of the U.S. economy.

“Our second annual Inc. 5000 continues the most ambitious project in business journalism,” said Inc. 5000 Project Manager Jim Melloan. “The Inc. 5000 gives an unrivalled portrait of young, underreported companies across all industries doing fascinating things with cutting-edge business models, as well as older companies that are still showing impressive growth.”

Career Step, LLC, based in Springville, Utah, was founded in 1992 by Andrea L. Anaya, now Career Step CEO, as a provider of quality medical transcription training. Anaya stated, “Career Step is thrilled to receive the Inc. 5000 recognition because of what we know it means in terms of the good things happening in the lives of our students and graduates.” Today, Career Step is the nation’s leading provider of online medical transcription and medical coding training, placing over 85% of graduates in a career within two months of graduation.

As early as May 2000, Career Step made its training program available to students through an online platform that incorporates the latest distance education programming techniques, technology, and instructional design methodologies. Since its founding, Career Step has provided distance education services to tens of thousands of students from all 50 states through direct enrollments as well as exclusive licensing agreements with dozens of prominent nationally-accredited community colleges. There are currently over 14,000 students enrolled in Career Step’s online training programs.

Career Step continues to see excellent revenue growth despite the current economic conditions due to the fact that it solves employment setbacks faced by job seekers—lack of relevant training.

“With the difficult economic times people are facing, we know we are part of helping people move into recession-proof employment. The Inc. 5000 recognizes our company is reaching many individuals—and to us the success of each individual we serve matters most,” said Celeste Harjehausen, Career Step COO.

In response to industry demand, Career Step developed a medical coding program based on the same proven success principles as the medical transcription training program: teach the skills and provide the practicum necessary for students to obtain successful employment upon graduation.

With a proven and proprietary online education platform, Career Step is poised to duplicate its success in allied healthcare markets worldwide.

The 5000 companies that made the list reported aggregate revenue of $185 billion and median three-year growth of 147 percent.  Most important, the 2008 Inc. 5000 companies were engines of job growth, having created more than 826,033 jobs since those companies were founded. Complete results of the Inc. 5000, including company profiles and a list of the fastest-growing companies that can be sorted by industry and region, can be found at  www.inc5000.com.

Inc. 5000 Methodology
The 2008 Inc. 5000 list measures revenue growth from 2004 through 2007.  To qualify, companies must be U.S.-based and privately held, independent—not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies—as of December 31, 2007, and have had at least $200,000 in revenue in 2004, and $2 million in 2007.

Companies can apply for next year’s Inc. 5000 by registering with IncBizNet, Business Network for Private Companies, at www.incbiznet.com.

About Career Step Career Step is the nation’s leading provider of online medical transcription and medical coding training placing over 85% of graduates in a rewarding career within two months of graduation. With a proven and proprietary online education platform, Career Step is positioned to lead the allied healthcare industry in training and assessment worldwide. Visit http://www.careerstep.com.

About Inc.com Inc.com, the daily resource for entrepreneurs, delivers how-to guides, advice, tools, breaking news, and rich multi-media to help business owners and CEOs start, run, and grow their businesses. Inc.com offers dynamic marketing solutions to help advertisers effectively reach Inc.com’s audience of business leaders.  Visit http://www.inc.com.