RuffaloCODY

About RuffaloCODY

RuffaloCODY was a prominent provider of technology-enabled services for the higher education and nonprofit sectors, specializing in enrollment management and fundraising. The company was founded in 1991 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, by Al Ruffalo and four partners. Al Ruffalo, a first-generation college graduate with a background in education and telecommunications, applied his business management skills to establish the company. His experience as a teacher and later as president of McLeodUSA Direct informed his leadership approach, focusing on compassionate management.

The firm's core business involved providing strategic consulting, outreach services, and software platforms to colleges, universities, and nonprofit organizations. Its offerings were designed to manage the entire student lifecycle, from initial recruitment and enrollment to student success and alumni fundraising. A key product was CAMPUSCALL, a software platform for managing fundraising phonathons, later adapted for telecounseling prospective students. The company's business model was centered on forming partnerships with institutions to help them achieve their enrollment and fundraising objectives in a competitive environment. By 2013, RuffaloCODY served over 900 organizations across the United States, Canada, and Australia.

A significant milestone in the company's history occurred in August 2014, when RuffaloCODY acquired its competitor, Noel-Levitz, a well-regarded consulting firm specializing in strategic enrollment planning, student marketing, and retention since 1973. This strategic merger brought together two powerhouses in the higher education consulting space, combining RuffaloCODY's fundraising and software expertise with Noel-Levitz's deep knowledge of student recruitment and success. The combined entity, which rebranded as Ruffalo Noel Levitz in March 2015, served over 1,800 institutions. The merger was part of a larger growth strategy that included other acquisitions like ScaleFunder, a crowdfunding platform for education. Following the merger, Al Ruffalo became the Executive Chairman of the new entity.