2020-09-01T10:37:09-05:00 2019-12-31 ERNST & YOUNG US LLP 155 N Wacker Drive Chicago IL 60606 990 2019-01-01 391090394 Ascendium Education Group Inc % HOPE MERRY ASCE 6087332500 2501 International Lane Madison WI 53704 RICHARD GEORGE President & CEO 6087332500 2020-08-29 Jacob Zehnder P01564049 3128792000 2020-08-25 98.206.34.16 36964520202455000096 2020-09-01 P 01BAD6EA115B3605BA35E275C310E82CC2CC369C D155260895F341514098DE9CA2553F38B7C1A374 2019 2020-11-06 18:47:13Z RICHARD GEORGE 2501 International Lane Madison WI 53704 29880712 false X www.ASCENDIUMEDUCATION.ORG X 1967 WI ASCENDIUM EDUCATION GROUP, INC. OPERATES FOR THE SUPPORT AND BENEFIT OF ASCENDIUM EDUCATION SOLUTIONS, INC. AND NORTHSTAR GUARANTEE, INC. 9 8 49 0 0 0 0 0 0 127955196 29781000 836183 86739 128791379 29867739 6250 19750 0 0 6441022 7067795 0 0 0 -5454847 -5023479 992425 2064066 127798954 27803673 1090091290 2132867938 3004395 27131 1087086895 2132840807 false false 24001 19750 ASCENDIUM EDUCATION GROUP, INC. OPERATES FOR THE SUPPORT AND BENEFIT OF ASCENDIUM EDUCATION SOLUTIONS, INC. (SOLUTIONS) AND NORTHSTAR GUARANTEE INC.(NORTHSTAR). SOLUTIONS AND NORTHSTAR ENSURE ENABLEMENT OF ACCESS TO AND PERSISTENCE IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION BY PROVIDING PHILANTHROPIC SUPPORT AND COST EFFECTIVE GUARANTY AGENCY SERVICES AND LOWER COST OR OTHERWISE UNAVAILABLE FUNDING FOR FEDERALLY GUARANTEED LOANS TO STUDENTS AND PARENTS AND/OR ALTERNATION NON-FEDERALLY GUARANTEED LOANS. 24001 true false false false false false false false false false false true false false true false false true false false false false false false false false false false true true false false false false false false false false false false false false false true true true false false true 45 0 49 true false false false false false false false false false false false false X 9 8 false false false false false false false true true false false true true true true true true true true false X HOPE MERRY 6087332584 2501 INTERNATIONAL LANE MADISON WI 53704 X Richard D George 2 Chair/Pres/CEO/Treas 29.0 21.0 X X 953156 0 43040 Hope Merry 3 Chief Financial Officer 21.0 29.0 X 351274 0 40866 Jacqueline Fairbairn Corp Comp Committee Chair 1.0 49.0 X 0 273454 53480 Jeff Crosby 3 Chief Operating Officer 29.0 21.0 X 271899 0 35778 Rebecca Rapp 3 Gen Cnsl & Asst Secretary 20.0 25.0 X 268945 0 37644 Maureen Harrill 3 VP - Human Resources 11.0 34.0 X 203406 0 28213 Brian Kobishop 3 VP - IT/Security/Logistics 11.0 34.0 X 184186 0 11767 Matt Harlowe 3 Director Internal Audit 25.0 25.0 X 174978 0 16105 Jennifer Krueger 3 Associate Counsel 45.0 0.0 X 161125 0 22748 Fernando Delk 3 Sr IT and Busn Integ Anst 40.0 0.0 X 140606 0 19612 Catherine Risseeuw 3 Mgr - HR Technology & Comp 45.0 0.0 X 148263 0 10586 Stephanie Hafermann 3 Sr Mgr - Corporate Acctg 34.0 0.0 X 107451 0 28219 Patricia Kingston 3 Sr Mgr - Corporate Tax 45.0 0.0 X 119528 0 14643 Thomas Boldt 1 Director 3.0 0.0 X 21750 0 0 Richard A Weiss 1 Director 1.0 2.0 X 6583 13167 0 Joan Prince 1 Director 2.0 1.0 X 8875 8875 0 Linda Hoeschler 1 Director 2.0 1.0 X 8875 8875 0 Mary Burke 1 Director 1.0 2.0 X 5917 11833 0 Alex J Pollock 1 Director 2.0 1.0 X 6875 6875 0 Emerson Brumback 1 Director 2.0 1.0 X 7875 5875 0 David J Hanson 1 Director/Secretary 1.0 2.0 X 0 0 0 3151567 328954 362701 15 false true false Ernst Young US LLP 155 N Wacker Dr CHICAGO IL 60606 Audit/Tax Service 705838 Ballard Spahr LLP 1735 Market St PHILDELPHIA PA 191037507 Legal Service 195458 Morgan Stanley 2000 Westchester Ave PURCHASE NY 10577 Investment Service 136622 Foley Lardner 777 East Wisconsin Avenue MILWAUKEE WI 532025306 Legal Services 1426217 4 0 0 29553283 29553283 0 0 0 0 0 227851 13108 12973 227851 135 227717 227717 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE 900099 86739 86739 86739 29867739 29867739 X 0 19750 19750 0 0 2878947 827643 2051304 0 3349609 865304 2484304 187512 78692 108820 437991 146001 291990 213736 62663 151073 0 148548 148548 541104 541104 0 0 2011321 2011321 328567 297257 31310 3363 3363 505573 500749 4824 0 0 181193 55908 125286 63726 50620 13106 0 73434 7401 66033 0 0 1927 1927 717775 717775 SERVICE ARRANGEMENT FEES 20429936 20429936 DUES AND MEMBERSHIPS 28379 28379 CORP SUPP FUNCT ALLOCATION -30082540 -24078555 -6003985 MISCELLANEOUS 24215 9188 15027 2064066 24001 2040065 0 X 883 1070 546655117 1350537072 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 62500 318672 0 0 242204040 474934310 141426701 255112847 38788098 44214699 0 0 120953951 7749268 1090091290 2132867938 4395 27131 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3000000 0 3004395 27131 X 1087086895 2132840807 0 0 1087086895 2132840807 1090091290 2132867938 X 27803673 53369513 964580726 X false true X true false X X 2 ASCENDIUM EDUCATION SOLUTIONS INC 391853833 10 true 28349862 0 NORTHSTAR GUARANTEE INC 411689095 10 true 8687 0 2 28358549 true false false false false false false false false false false false false false false true GSV FUND INVESTMENT 14594239 F BLACKROCK - INDEX FUND 114340996 F VANGUARD - INDEX FUND 112978420 F PABTWF 129808 F 242043463 0 0 true EMPLOYEE DEPENDENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 12 19750 FORM 990, SCHEDULE I - PART I, LINE 2 DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATION'S PROCEDURES FOR MONITORING THE USE OF GRANTS IN THE UNITED STATES: Ascendium Group Inc. utilizes a thorough application process to provide scholarships to worthy students using the application pool of its employee's dependents. The scholarships are awarded to the students and paid on their behalf to the universities they attend. FORM 990, SCHEDULE I - PART III, LINE 1 THE EMPLOYEE DEPENDENT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM IS TO BE APPLIED TOWARD THE COST OF TUITION. THE RECIPIENTS WERE DETERMINED BASED ON CRITERIA DEFINED BY THE PROGRAM AND NO INDIVIDUAL RECIPIENT RECEIVES MORE THAN $2,500 PER SCHOOL YEAR. X true true X X X X X false false false false false false false false false Brian Kobishop 3 VP - IT/Security/Logistics 155290 0 26799 0 2097 0 6591 0 5176 0 195953 0 0 0 Catherine Risseeuw 3 Mgr - HR Technology & Comp 119861 0 27841 0 561 0 6017 0 4569 0 158849 0 0 0 Fernando Delk 3 Sr IT and Busn Integ Anst 130833 0 9166 0 607 0 3875 0 15737 0 160218 0 0 0 Hope Merry 3 Chief Financial Officer 199331 0 151462 0 481 0 14586 0 26280 0 392140 0 0 0 Jacqueline Fairbairn 3 Corp Comp Committee Chair 0 140587 0 131538 0 1329 0 11796 0 41684 0 326934 0 0 Jeff Crosby 3 Chief Operating Officer 269457 0 1118 0 1324 0 10629 0 25149 0 307677 0 0 0 Jennifer Krueger 3 Associate Counsel 139566 0 21266 0 293 0 6541 0 16207 0 183873 0 0 0 Matt Harlowe 3 Director Internal Audit 138143 0 36576 0 259 0 8100 0 8005 0 191083 0 0 0 Maureen Harrill 3 VP - Human Resources 125186 0 76526 0 1694 0 8150 0 20063 0 231619 0 0 0 Rebecca Rapp 3 Gen Cnsl & Asst Secretary 136959 0 131689 0 297 0 14681 0 22963 0 306589 0 0 0 Richard D George 23 Chair/Pres/CEO/Treas 347542 0 601808 0 3806 0 14735 0 28305 0 996196 0 0 0 FORM 990, SCHEDULE J, PART I, LINE 1A RICHARD D. GEORGE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, RECEIVED A TAX GROSS-UP IN 2019, FOR YEAR THREE OF THE THREE YEAR INCENTIVE TO OFFSET TAX LIABILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE VESTING OF AN OPTION IT AWARD MADE IN 2004 THAT WAS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO VEST POST RETIREMENT. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS HAS REQUESTED THAT THE CEO DELAY RETIREMENT AND HAS OFFERED THIS TAX GROSS UP AS AN INVESTMENT TOWARDS THAT END. Part VI, Question 11b On an annual basis, the Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, the audit committee and board reviews the Form 990 prior to filing. The conflicts of interest questionnaires are completed by each Director and reviewed prior to filing the Form 990. Part VI, Question 12c Annually, Directors and Officers sign a conflict of interest document which discloses any conflicts. The signed documents are reviewed annually by the Chairman of the Board. If a disclosed conflict occurs, the individual abstains from discussion and voting on topics where a conflict of interest exists. All Directors, Officers and employees are subject to the Human Resources Code of Ethics to maintain the highest ethical and legal standards of business conduct. Part VI, Questions 15a & 15b The compensation of the CEO and all of the Officers is determined annually by the Personnel Policy Committee of the Board of Directors. The CEO is routinely excused and abstains from discussion and/or voting on any matters related to his own compensation and benefits. The Personnel Policy Committee's report is submitted to the Board of Directors for approval. The decisions are documented in the Board minutes. Every two to three years, an independent compensation study is performed, last compensation study was performed in 2019. Part VI, Question 19 Federal tax law does not require that such documents be made publicly available. Documents are available upon specific request. Part VII, Section A, Line 1a (1) Directors normally attend 3-4 board meetings and 3-4 committee meetings per year in addition to telephonic conferences and individual meetings with officers. Directors devote an average of 1-3 hours per week to their position(s). (2) Compensation line includes compensation for general counsel services and affiliate group responsibilities. Inside directors are not eligible for Board compensation. (3) Non-operating officer position not separately compensated. Part IX, Line 24c Costs are charged to the applicable managing area and then further allocated to supporting services and programs that each area supports. Costs are allocated to supporting services and programs based on estimates made by management, taking into account the nature of the expense and how it relates to the functionals areas. Costs are typically allocated based on resources used or time and effort. 2019 allocations made to the following supporting organizations and amounts are as follows: Ascendium Education Solutions, Inc. 28,349,862 NorthStar Education Guarantee, Inc. 8,667 Part XI, Line 9 NET ASSET TRANSFER TO Ascendium Education group, Inc. $14,580,726 (AEG) FROM NORTHSTAR guarantee, inc. OPERATING FUND CONTRIBUTION transfer to AEG from $950,000,000 Ascendium Education solutions, inc. --------------- $964,580,726 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:RETIREMENT ADMINISTRATION TOTAL FEES:68336 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:CONSULTING SERVICES TOTAL FEES:185370 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:DELTA DENTAL SERVICES TOTAL FEES:9572 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TOTAL FEES:14213 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:RECRUITING TOTAL FEES:6754 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:TRANSFER PRICING TOTAL FEES:12600 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:IT CONSULTANTS TOTAL FEES:12472 FORM 990 PART IX LINE 11G DESCRIPTION:IT SPECIALIZED SERVICES TOTAL FEES:19250 Ascendium Education Solutions Inc 2501 International Lane Madison WI 53704 391853833 Gty Stdnt Lns WI 501(C)(3) 10 GROUP true Northstar Guarantee Inc 2501 International Lane Madison WI 53704 411689095 Stdt Rehab Ln MN 501(C)(3) 10 GROUP true Northstar Education Services LLC 2501 International Lane Madison WI 53704 352626495 Service WI GROUP C Corp -3353300 7457829 1.00000 true false false false false false false false false false false false true true false false true true false true Ascendium Education Solutions Inc L & Q 28349549 ACTUAL COST Northstar Guarantee Inc L & Q 23065 ACTUAL COST Northstar Educations Services LLC L & Q 1723991 ACTUAL COST Northstar Education Services LLC S 14580726 ACTUAL COST