Meet Nick Fluge
“Fluge’s New Life in Fast Lane - Victory at Rose Cups”
Nick Fluge was the Chief Visionary of Innovative Online development for JDV Online, a vibrant internet marketplace for lifestyle sites and digital marketplaces until December, 2006. In 2005, Chefs.com was born providing culinary insight via podcasts, recipes, and historical information to an enthusiastic audience that grew to over 2 million unique visitors by December, 2005. Then, in February, 2006, Fluge helped launch Blish.com, a digital marketplace bringing together buyers and sellers. Blish became connected with the 2.0 community when Boris Karadogan, partner at ComVentures, recognized its potential and cited it as a prime example of Web 2.0 eCommerce. It was later immortalized in Stabilo Boss’ Web 2.0 Collage.
In 1999, Fluge was pivotal in securing CEC’s exclusive partnership with the world renowned Le Cordon Bleu brand from Paris France.
He was integral in the development of CEC’s culinary division, helping it to become the world’s largest provider of culinary arts education. Fluge served on the Executive Board of the Le Cordon Bleu Schools, North America, until December of 2006.
In 2001, Fluge launched CEC’s Online Education Group which provides a unique online education to over 25,000 students annually from every state in the U.S. and 50 countries abroad. At the time of his departure in 2005, the group generated over $650,000,000 in revenue. The Online Education Group has been recognized for its leadership in non-linear, multi-media courseware, proprietary course platforms, a comprehensive virtual campus, a virtual lead management system and other software all developed in house. One of the groups’ online universities also participated in the prestigious U.S. Department of Education Demonstration Program from 2002 – 2005.
Fluge holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science from Portland State University. In 1999 he completed Management Programs at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and followed in 2000 with continued studies at Harvard University in Internet Technology. In 2001, he completed the “eBusiness: Models and Applications for eCommerce” certificate program at The Wharton School of Business at The University of Pennsylvania.
Thought Leadership
In 2001, Fluge presented “Online Education, The Next Generation” to the Career College Association Convention and Exposition. In 2004, he appeared at the Stanford Business of Education Conference and discussed “Online Higher Education: Redefining the Classroom.” Some recent speaking engagements that Nick has participated in have included William Blair’s 21st Annual Growth Stock Conference, CNN Live: Online Campus, both in 2001. The Education Industry Finance & Investment Summit – Driving Post-Secondary Education, in 2002. US Bancorp Piper Jaffray’s 5th Annual Technology Conference, ThinkEquity Partner’s Growth Conference, Banc of America’s 33rd Annual Investment Conference, and Demonstrations on Capitol Hill – Fast-Moving Universe of Distance Learning, in 2003. Merrill Lynch’s Advertising/Marketing, Education & Information Conference, Credit Suisse First Boston’s Annual Global Services Growth Conference, and UBS Investment Bank’s Online Higher Education Conference, i n 2004.
The Man behind “The Man”
Contrary to what you might be thinking, Nick Fluge is far from just “A Suit” - he’s a student of the School of Life. Early success (and failure) in sports, led him from football and baseball to tennis and racing. His education has also taken him on many excursions and diversions, allowing him to sample a healthy portion of the world’s cultural buffet. Nick grew up listening to the likes of The Stones, Zeppelin, Dylan, and U2 (just to name a few). And, today his choices are equally unique. Andre’ 3000, J.T., the Shins and Death Cab for Cutie, flow through his iPod on a daily basis. Inspiration occasionally courses through his fingertips as tries to emulate his heroes on his own Gibson Dove. From the Challenger Disaster in ‘86, the fall of the Berlin Wall in ‘89, to the YouTube and MySpace paradigm changes of recent years, Fluge has been there and seen it all first hand.
A New Leaf
In 2006, Fluge’s journey through life took new turns, leading him not only into the realm of serious eCommerce development, but also finding him behind the seat of 500+ horsepower super-cars in SCCA and playing next to Las Vegas card sharks at the Las Vegas World Series of Poker.
In 2007 Nick Fluge is venturing into new realms and making his up his own rules as he goes. As such he invites you to become part of his latest ambitious endeavor: Fluge Global Adventures. For 2007 Nick has custom designed a series of events and adventures sure to please anyone wishing to rekindle their relationship with adrenaline and excitement. These include: A 19,000 foot summit run at Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, A cross country road race in The Cannon Ball Run 2007, A very serious hike to Base Camp at Mt. Everest in Nepal, A full scale onslaught on the World Series of Poker, and High Octane Adventures in the SCCA behind the wheel of full-on Super cars. These are just some of the events already in progress for 2007 with more to come.