NACAS

What NACAS does

NACAS (National Association of College Auxiliary Services) is a non-profit professional trade association founded in 1969 that serves strategic leaders of campus auxiliary services — including food services, bookstores, housing, transportation, student unions, parking, and campus card systems — at colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, and Asia. Its core offerings span a portfolio of interconnected programs: the C3X Annual Conference & Expo (the flagship event drawing over 1,100 attendees from 300+ institutions and 100+ business partners), the CASP (Certified Auxiliary Services Professional) certification, four Regional CX Conferences (Central, East, South, West), the Leadership Series including the Senior Executive Summit (SES) and Women in Higher-Ed Leadership Summit (WIL), online education through the NACAS Online Institute, College Services Magazine, the NACAS Career Center, and the Diversity in Auxiliary Leadership (DIAL) cohort program. The NACAS Foundation, a 501(c)(3) entity, administers scholarships including the Mereese Ladson Diversity Scholarship ($750) and the Campus Care Grant (up to $25,000 annually) for student basic needs programs.

The technology backbone centers on the NACAS Marketplace, a 24/7 digital platform with six tools — Institution Exchange, Business Partner Connect, Resource Library, NACAS Research, Food Service catalog, and Membership Directory — built on Salesforce infrastructure, complemented by the NACAS Lounge online member community and the new APEX Benchmarked Assessment Pilot. The business model is a recurring subscription membership model with multiple revenue streams: institutional membership fees (tiered by institution type), business partner sponsorships and Marketplace access, event registration fees across C3X and regional conferences, CASP certification fees, and NACAS Foundation donations. Over 700 institutions and 200+ business partners participate in the ecosystem, with group memberships allowing all employees at member institutions to access benefits — a distribution structure that multiplies reach across each campus. The organization is governed by a member-elected Board of Directors and operates from Ashland, Ohio, with current CEO Rich Steele (since January 2024) leading an 11-50 person staff.

Name

NACAS

Legal name

National Association of College Auxiliary Services

Website

https://nacas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NACAS is a 501(c) non-profit professional trade association founded in 1969 serving strategic leaders of campus auxiliary services at over 700 colleges and universities worldwide, delivering membership programs, the CASP certification, annual conferences, and a digital marketplace connecting institutions with business partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Institutional Membership Fees: Colleges and universities pay membership fees for their employees to access NACAS benefits, with group memberships allowing any employee of member institutions to access online benefits and professional development at member rates
2. Business Partner Sponsorship: Business partners pay to sponsor events, gain access to members through the Marketplace, and participate in the Expo Hall at conferences
3. Event Registration: Revenue from C3X Annual Conference & Expo, Leadership Summit (SES & WIL), Regional CX Conferences, and other educational events
4. CASP Certification: Fees for the Certified Auxiliary Services Professional designation exam and preparation courses
5. NACAS Foundation Donations: The 501(c)(3) foundation receives donations to fund scholarships, grants including the Campus Care Grant, and professional development programs

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

NACAS is a professional trade association that provides membership services, professional development, networking, certification, and a digital Marketplace to auxiliary services leaders at colleges and universities globally. It sells institutional memberships, business partner sponsorships, event registration (C3X, Leadership Series, Regional CX), and the CASP certification to its members, while operating the NACAS Foundation to fund scholarships and grants for student success.

Product overview

NACAS operates as a professional trade association supporting the non-academic segment of higher education responsible for campus auxiliary services. Rather than a single unified product, NACAS offers a portfolio of interconnected programs and services: the NACAS Marketplace (a digital hub with six tools for members and business partners to collaborate and source solutions), the C3X Annual Conference & Expo (flagship annual event), CASP certification (the only benchmark certification for auxiliary services executives), the NACAS Lounge (exclusive online member community), College Services Magazine (quarterly peer-driven publication), the NACAS Career Center (job board), Regional CX Conferences (four geographic events), the Leadership Series (including the Senior Executive Summit and Women in Higher-Ed Leadership Summit), the NACAS Online Institute (webinars and virtual education), and the NACAS Foundation which oversees the Campus Care Grant (up to $25,000 for student basic needs) and Mereese Ladson Diversity Scholarship ($750 for professional development). The organization also conducts NACAS Research to provide data insights on student success. Over 700 institutions and 200 business partners participate in the NACAS ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NACAS Marketplace A 24/7 online resource platform for NACAS members and business partners to inform decisions, assist operations, and source solutions for campus auxiliary services. Consists of six tools: Institution Exchange, Business Partner Connect, Resource Library, NACAS Research, 1 Food Service product catalog, and Membership Directory.
• C3X Annual Conference & Expo
• CASP (Certified Auxiliary Services Professional) Certification The only benchmark certification validating and measuring competencies of college and university executives who oversee multiple auxiliary services. Includes the CASP Lab (exam preparation) and is a designation recognized across the industry.
• NACAS Lounge An exclusive online hub for NACAS members to connect, collaborate, and access invaluable resources with peers nationwide. Includes discussions, expert advice, and networking in a supportive environment tailored for professional growth.
• College Services Magazine A quarterly professional digest published in print and online, featuring peer-driven content contributed by NACAS members showcasing success stories and highlighting innovative campus services and products.
• NACAS Career Center An online employment hub tailored for the higher education community, offering career opportunities relevant to auxiliary services professionals.
• Senior Executive Summit (SES) Part of the NACAS Leadership Series, inviting veteran auxiliary services leaders with oversight of multiple departments and key decision-making power, along with Business Partners disrupting the status quo.
• NACAS Online Institute Online education offerings including webinars, virtual roundtables, and eXpress featured talks, providing professional development for auxiliary leaders on the latest practices, strategies, and models.
• Regional CX Conferences Four regional conferences (Central CX, East CX, South CX, West CX) providing localized networking and education for NACAS members within their geographic area.
• Campus Care Grant A grant program awarding up to $25,000 annually to programs or services that support student achievement by addressing basic needs such as housing, food, mobility, safety, academic resources, and counseling. Funded by the NACAS Foundation.
• Mereese Ladson Diversity Scholarship A diversity scholarship awarding $750 to promote advancement of diverse, career-minded higher education professionals and enhance their auxiliary services skills through NACAS professional development programs.
• NACAS Foundation A 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation supporting and promoting the auxiliary services profession through scholarships, grants, professional development funding, research initiatives, and the CASP certification.
• NACAS Leadership Series An interactive training experience for auxiliary service professionals providing tailor-made programs to boost their learning journey, including the Senior Executive Summit and Women in Higher-Ed Leadership Summit.
• NACAS Research Research capabilities and data insights to help members understand student needs, anticipate trends, and future-proof campus services as market conditions and behavioral shifts occur. Developed in partnership with Next Gen Team.
• Women in Higher-Ed Leadership Summit A new Summit as part of the NACAS Leadership Series focused on developing women in higher education leadership, featuring intimate networking experiences, engaging speakers and roundtable discussions.
• Diversity in Auxiliary Leadership (DIAL) Program A two-year cohort-based leadership development program supporting individuals from under-represented groups to advance in auxiliary services and higher education. Selected participants receive scholarships.

Quantifiable outcome

• Increase NACAS program participation by 3% annually (C3X, SES, WIL, CASP, LMS, Webinars) as per 2026-2030 Strategic Plan
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Next Gen TeamcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 April 2023Next Gen Team (formerly Riddle & Bloom) is a NACAS Founder Level sponsor for the eighth consecutive year. They collaborate with NACAS on research around student success. Next Gen Team focuses on high school students, college-aged consumers, and early professionals, providing insights into Gen Z behavior that NACAS uses to help members anticipate trends and student needs. This exclusive partnership helps NACAS Research and membership stay proactive in understanding the future student demographic.
• Riddle & BloomcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 November 2017Exclusive partnership with Riddle & Bloom, an 'Ideas and Access' agency specializing in connecting brands with the Next Generation consumer. Riddle & Bloom provides insights to make NACAS Research more proactive in anticipating trends and needs of the future and ever-changing student. Riddle & Bloom has exclusive partnerships with NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation and NACA, the National Association for Campus Activities.
• NACAS FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NACAS Foundation is a non-profit, charitable 501(c)(3) corporation formed for the sole purpose of supporting and promoting the auxiliary services profession through NACAS. The Foundation funds professional development programs, technological enhancements, scholarships (including Mereese Ladson Diversity Scholarship), research, and the CASP certification. It also funds the Campus Care Grant providing up to $25,000 annually for programs addressing student basic needs.
• NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate RecreationminorOthersRiddle & Bloom has an exclusive partnership with NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation, expanding the network of organizations working on student engagement.
• NACA (National Association for Campus Activities)minorOthersRiddle & Bloom has an exclusive partnership with NACA, the National Association for Campus Activities, in addition to its partnership with NACAS.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• EDUCAUSE: Major higher-education association focused on technology and information professionals, including campus IT, learning, and digital transformation. Comparable as a higher-ed membership organization with conferences, research, and a community platform, but addressing a different functional area than NACAS.
• CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education): Large global association serving advancement, alumni relations, communications, development, and marketing professionals at educational institutions. Similar membership model and conference-driven engagement, serving adjacent higher-ed administrative functions.
• NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education: Larger, broader professional association for student affairs administrators across higher education. Overlaps with NACAS in serving vice presidents and senior student-life leaders, but covers a wider portfolio of student affairs beyond auxiliary services.
• NACUBO (National Association of College and University Business Officers): National association for higher-education business and financial officers, addressing finance, accounting, and administration. Larger and broader than NACAS but reaches the same institutional C-suite, including CFOs and VPs of administration who oversee auxiliary services.

Direct peers

• APPA: Leadership in Educational Facilities: Association for educational facilities professionals, including campus operations, maintenance, and planning leaders. Comparable to NACAS as a higher-ed professional association serving operational/administrative leaders with certifications, conferences, and research.
• NIRSA: Leaders in Collegiate Recreation: Higher-education professional association serving collegiate recreation, intramural sports, and campus wellness professionals. Highly comparable to NACAS as a member-based organization for student-life administrators, with shared research partnerships (Riddle & Bloom / Next Gen Team) and overlapping institutional buyers.
• ACUHO-I (Association of College and University Housing Officers - International): International association for campus housing and residence-life professionals. Directly comparable as a higher-ed member association supporting a specific auxiliary-services vertical (housing), with overlapping institutional buyers and conference programming.
• ACUI (Association of College Unions International): Association for college union and student-center professionals, with overlapping scope in campus life, student centers, and auxiliary services. Targets the same institutional buyers as NACAS and competes for member engagement around student-union and community-building programs.
• EACUBO (Eastern Association of College and University Business Officers): Regional association for higher-education business officers and administrative leaders. Comparable as a higher-ed membership organization with conference programming, professional development, and regional chapters, with overlap in audience at the VP/AVP level.
• NACA (National Association for Campus Activities): Association serving campus activities professionals, student-programming boards, and student-life leaders at colleges and universities. Comparable to NACAS in mission, member profile, and conference-driven model, and a co-partner of Riddle & Bloom / Next Gen Team for next-generation student research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/nacasorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/nacasorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nacas
• Instagraminstagram.com/nacasorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about NACAS