Compliance Education Institute

What Compliance Education Institute does

Compliance Education Institute (CEI) is a New Jersey-based education and training company founded in 2013 that specializes in vendor management and third-party risk management (TPRM) certification. Its flagship product is the Certified Regulatory Vendor Program Manager (CRVPM) certification program, which spans eight levels covering the full vendor lifecycle — from outsource planning and due diligence through ongoing monitoring and exit strategy — alongside specialized certifications including CASRA (SOC report analysis), CCSA (contract structure), CVAIA (AI vendor risk), and CRBCMA (business continuity management). The CRVPM Level I course is approved by the Institute of Certified Bankers (ICB), a subsidiary of the American Bankers Association, for 7.25 CRCM CPE credits, and the curriculum is aligned with FFIEC, OCC, FDIC, NY DFS cybersecurity, and Basel II/III guidance. The company also offers the 3rd Party Toolbox (3PT), an automated vendor management SaaS with pre-configured questionnaires for 15 vendor categories and integrated risk, performance, and value management modules, as well as an eAuditManager module for vendor management program audits.

CEI's business model rests on three revenue streams: subscription-based online certification and specialized courses sold directly and through business partners; the 3PT software sold as a SaaS product with add-on modules; and engagement-based professional services including gap analyses, risk assessments, and program audits. Distribution is primarily direct via the company website (compliance-edu.com) with contact-based pricing ('Request Info' and 'Request a Demo'), supplemented by a strategic partnership with Fortrex Technologies (VendSure due diligence) and informal evangelism through a community of more than 2,000 CRVPM graduates across 14 countries. The go-to-market targets banks, credit unions, insurance companies, securities firms, retailers, payments processors, and consultancies, with named users including Target, Regions Bank, SunTrust, USAA, AmTrust, Vantiv/Worldpay, Mass Mutual Federal Credit Union, and Mitsui Union Financial Group. Annual recertification requirements create recurring engagement with certified practitioners.

CEI operates as a privately held, founder-led LLC with 1–10 employees and no disclosed external venture or private equity funding. The company is led by founder and CEO Mick Kless, a recognized TPRM thought leader, supported by an Advisory Council of experienced risk management practitioners. Operating costs appear lean given the small headcount and fully online course delivery model, and growth has been financed organically through product expansion (Lifecycle Series in 2017, BCM in 2020, CCSA in 2024, AI courses in 2025) and the 2017 move into higher-margin professional services.

Name

Compliance Education Institute

Legal name

Compliance Education Institute LLC

Website

https://compliance-edu.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Compliance Education Institute provides vendor management certification, training, and software tools to banks, credit unions, insurers, and other regulated organizations. Its flagship CRVPM certification spans eight levels and is approved for 7.25 CRCM CPE credits by the Institute of Certified Bankers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Compliance Education & Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Custom Computer Programming Services (541511)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)

akta.pro primary industry

Project, Program & Portfolio Management Certifications (EDAAANAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Third-Party, Vendor & Supply Chain Compliance (EDABADAJ), Certification & Licensing Exam Management Platforms (EDAFADAG), Supply Chain, Logistics & Procurement Certifications (EDAAANAK)

Keywords

• Vendor management certification
• Third party risk management
• Regulatory compliance training
• Vendor risk software
• CRVPM certification

Headquarters

HQ city

Ocean City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Certification Courses: Online certification courses including CRVPM Levels I-VIII, Certified Vendor AI Analyst (CVAIA), Certified Contract Structure Analyst (CCSA), Certified AICPA SOC Report Analyst (CASRA), and Certified Regulatory Business Continuity Management Analyst (CRBCMA). Revenue from course enrollment and certification fees.
2. AI Courses: Three AI-focused courses on Artificial Intelligence and 3rd Party Risk: AI & Vendor Risk Certification, AI Essentials & Vendor Risk, and AI for Execs & the Board.
3. Specialized Vendor Courses: Individual on-demand courses covering specific vendor management topics including Structuring Effective Contracts, Program Structure & Compliance, Outsource & Exit Strategy, Selection Performance & Value, Contract Exposures, Business Resilience, Site Visits, The BIG Picture, and Essentials.
4. Professional Services: Advisory Services including Vendor Management Program Gap Analysis, Vendor Management Program Risk Assessment, and Vendor Management Program Audit conducted by CEI Professional Services.
5. 3rd Party Toolbox Software: Automated vendor management software solution offered as a SaaS/automated tool with add-on modules for vendor risk management, performance management, and category management.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Compliance Education Institute provides specialized vendor management and third party risk management (TPRM) certification courses, training, and advisory services primarily to financial institutions. Its flagship CRVPM certification spans eight levels covering the full vendor lifecycle, supplemented by AI-focused courses, specialized vendor courses, and the proprietary 3rd Party Toolbox (3PT) automated vendor management software for risk, performance, value, and category management. The company also offers professional services including vendor management program gap analysis, risk assessment, and audit engagements.

Product overview

Compliance Education Institute offers a comprehensive vendor management education and training platform centered around the Certified Regulatory Vendor Program Manager (CRVPM®) certification program with eight levels, along with an automated vendor management software solution called the 3rd Party Toolbox™. The CRVPM program ranges from foundational Level I courses through advanced levels covering specialized topics including Business Continuity Management, SOC Report Analysis, Contract Structure Analysis, and AI & Vendor Risk. The 3rd Party Toolbox provides automated risk and audit management tools including the eAuditManager module for program audits. In August 2025, CEI expanded into AI-focused courses with three new offerings for certification, essentials, and executive audiences. The company also provides advisory services including gap analysis, risk assessment, and program audits. Combined course packages are available for streamlined learning paths.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 3rd Party Toolbox: Automated vendor management solution offering risk management, performance tracking, value management, and category management tools for third party risk management programs.
• CRVPM
• VendSure

Products and services

• Certified Regulatory Vendor Program Manager (CRVPM) Certification Program Eight-level vendor management certification program (Levels I-VIII) covering the full third party risk management lifecycle, providing 7.25 CRCM CPE Credits through the Institute of Certified Bankers (ICB).
• 3rd Party Toolbox (3PT) Software Automated vendor management software providing risk assessment (inherent and residual risk), performance management (SLA and KPI tracking), vendor value management, and vendor category management with pre-configured questionnaires for 15 vendor categories.
• Enterprise Program Manager Suite with eAuditManager Module Suite of automated risk and audit management tools including the eAuditManager module used for vendor management program audits, documenting control objectives, activities, test steps, work performed, evidence, observations, findings, risk ratings, results, and recommendations.
• Certified Vendor AI Analyst (CVAIA) Certification Course Certification course covering Artificial Intelligence and 3rd Party Risk as the latest addition to CEI's AI course offerings and CRVPM Level VIII.
• AI Essentials & Vendor Risk Course Essentials course on Artificial Intelligence and Vendor Risk for AI & Third Party Risk Management Team Leaders and Staff.
• AI for Execs & the Board Course Executive-level course covering Artificial Intelligence and Vendor Risk targeted at Senior Executives and Board members.
• Certified Contract Structure Analyst (CCSA) Certification Course Certification course focused on mitigating contract risk and providing a standard for writing contracts, Statements of Work (SOWs), and Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), part of CRVPM Level VII.
• Certified AICPA SOC Report Analyst (CASRA) Certification Course Certification course covering analysis of AICPA SOC reports, part of CRVPM Level VI curriculum.
• Certified Regulatory Business Continuity Management Analyst (CRBCMA) Certification Course Certification course covering Business Continuity Management aligned with FFICE guidance, part of CRVPM Level IV.
• Specialized Vendor Courses (Lifecycle Series) Non-certification courses covering specific areas of the 3rd party risk management lifecycle including Structuring Effective Contracts, Program Structure & Compliance, Outsource & Exit Strategy, Selection Performance & Value, Contract Exposures, Business Resilience, Site Visits, The BIG Picture, and Essentials.
• Advisory Services Professional consulting services including strategic planning, vendor management program assessments, and vendor management program audits delivered by CEI Professional Services.
• Vendor Management Program Gap Analysis Assessment service to identify gaps between the current state and desired state of vendor management programs.
• Vendor Management Program Risk Assessment Comprehensive risk assessment of vendor management programs covering thirteen key controls throughout the five phases of the third party risk management lifecycle.
• Vendor Management Program Audit Audit service ensuring institutions have appropriate controls to mitigate risks in vendor management program structure, outsourcing processes, services, and management of 3rd party relationships.

Quantifiable outcome

• ICB-approved for 7.25 CRCM CPE credits for banking professionals
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Fortrex Technologies, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2019Compliance Education Institute and Fortrex Technologies, LLC formed a strategic partnership to deliver comprehensive third party risk management (TPRM) services. CEI provides certification courses and training while Fortrex offers VendSure enhanced due diligence services including expert analysis of SOC reports with focus on 30 industry controls around FFIEC and ISO standards. The partnership helps TPRM program managers improve skills through training while leveraging Fortrex's deep expertise in vendor documentation analysis and timely reporting as a support mechanism.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/compliance_edu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Compliance Education Institute