Our Team | Triumph Education Group

John M. Larson

Executive Chairman, CEO and President

Jack has over 40 years of experience in private and for-profit higher education and is the founder of The Perdeceo Education Group, formerly known as the Career Education Corporation (NASDAQ: PRDO), one of the world's largest higher education organizations. Jack served as the company's President, Chief Executive Officer, and a member and Chairman of the Board of Directors. Under his leadership, Career Education acquired renowned brands, including Le Cordon Bleu Schools North America, and pioneered its unique virtual campus. Jack is an original investor and current member of the Board of Directors for 2U (NASDAQ: TWOU). He is an Ernst & Young "Entrepreneur of the Year" and an inductee to UC Berkeley's Haas School of Business "Haas Hall of Fame."

Kirk T. Bachmann

Boulder Campus President | Provost

Kirk Bachmann, M.Ed., CEC, AAC currently serves as the President of Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Boulder campus and Provost for Triumph Higher Education. He holds a master's degree in education, is a Certified Executive Chef (CEC) and a member of the American Academy of Chefs (AAC). Bachmann is active in the industry as a Culinary Salon medalist and is a member of The International Association of Culinary Professionals, Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, Antonin Careme Society, and Disciples d'Escoffier.

C.R. "Chuck" Christopherson

Chief Financial Officer

As Chief Financial Officer, Chuck leads Escoffier's financial, investment, banking, acquisitions, and real estate areas. In 2005, he was appointed by President George W. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to the Cabinet of the USDA as CFO. He is a licensed CPA and holds a Bachelor's in Accounting from BYU's Marriott School of Management and an Executive MBA from the University of Oregon.

Tom Ehrhardt

Chief Operations Officer

In his role as Chief Operations Officer, Tom is responsible for strategy development and operations implementation to ensure student-focused initiatives through marketing, admissions, academics, compliance, and IT. Tom has over 20 years of multi-industry experience in marketing and product development within higher education, automotive, financial services, and publishing. He holds two bachelor's degrees from Valparaiso University and an MBA from Loyola University Chicago.

Jill Geimer

Chief Human Resources Officer

As Triumph's Chief Human Resources Officer, Jill has over 20 years of expertise in human resources and organizational development. A recipient of the "CHRO of the Year" award for mid-market companies by HRO Today in 2020, Jill is known for her strong background in talent acquisition, leadership development, and change management. She holds two master's degrees from Loyola University Chicago and a B.A. in Liberal Arts from Purdue University.

Dominick DiGangi

Chief Admissions Officer

Dominick currently serves as Chief Admissions Officer for Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. Prior to joining Triumph, he served as Vice President of Student Engagement for 2U and VP of Admissions for Trilogy Education Services, which was acquired by 2U for $750 million in 2019. He holds an MBA from Florida Atlantic University and a degree in Communications from Purdue Global University.

Steve Georgis

Chief Technology Officer

Steve is responsible for developing Triumph's overall technology strategy and implementing initiatives across all functional areas. Prior to Triumph, he served as VP of Technology for Pearson Online Learning Services, leading 45+ professionals across the US and Canada. He graduated with high honors from DePaul University with a B.S. in Computer Science and Information Systems.

Jeffrey Larson

Chief Development Officer

As Chief Development Officer, Jeff focuses on business development and strategy support for Auguste Escoffier Global Solutions and other special initiatives. Before his current role, he oversaw Escoffier's admissions department, playing a key role in expanding culinary and pastry programs both online and on-campus. Jeff is a graduate of the University of Kansas with a B.S. in Economics.

Marcus McMellon

Austin Campus President

Marcus McMellon is President of the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts Austin, Texas campus. He began his career in culinary education in 2001 with Le Cordon Bleu Cooking Schools, serving as VP of Finance and Operations. Before joining Triumph in 2014, Marcus held Campus President and CFO roles for proprietary education providers in the Dallas area.

Pam Trandahl

Chief Government & Student Affairs Officer

Pam serves as the Chief Government & Student Affairs Officer for Triumph Higher Education Group, responsible for oversight of all compliance areas for both campuses of Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. She has held multiple roles in operations and Title IV administration in the higher education industry and has approximately 20 years in culinary education administration.

Executive Leadership Team.