American Public Education, Inc. (Nasdaq: APEI) — American Public Education, Inc. (APEI) provides high-quality post-secondary education to power purpose, potential and prosperity for those in service to others. Today, APEI announced the appointment of Edward H. Codispoti as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Mr. Codispoti will oversee all strategic financial planning, financial operations, investor relations, and capital structure priorities across APEI and its portfolio of institutions. Rick Sunderland, APEI’s current CFO, will transition to an advisory position for the near future to facilitate a smooth transition.
Mr. Codispoti joins American Public Education with more than 25 years of distinguished financial leadership experience, including with publicly traded companies, spanning a variety of industries, including technology, engineering, higher education, and financial services. He most recently served as Chief Financial Officer of NV5 Global, Inc., a global leader in technology and engineering consulting solutions for public and private sector clients across infrastructure, utility services, construction, real estate, environmental, and geospatial markets, from June 2019 to October 2025. During his tenure, he led the finance function through more than 45 M&A transactions, guiding NV5’s financial strategy and supporting the company’s continued expansion and value creation.
“I am very pleased to welcome Ed Codispoti to APEI,” said Angela Selden, President and CEO of American Public Education. “Ed’s strategic mindset, deep financial and operating expertise, and leadership experience across global organizations will be invaluable as we continue to drive our growth strategy, strengthen our financial position, and advance our mission.”
Today, APEI is the number one educator of active-duty military and veterans through American Public University System, and a leading provider of pre-licensure ADN and PN programs through Rasmussen University and Hondros College of Nursing.
“I am thrilled to join American Public Education as its CFO and work alongside such an incredible leadership team,” said Codispoti. “Their dedication, vision, and collaborative spirit inspire me, and I am especially excited to support our institutions as we continue adding real value for students in their educational journeys. Together, we will work to empower learners to achieve their goals and shape the future through transformative higher education.”
Ms. Selden continued, “I also want to take this opportunity to thank Rick Sunderland for his dedicated service to American Public Education. For over 12 years he has been instrumental in building and shaping APEI’s financial, business and compliance strategies. During Rick’s tenure, APEI has navigated significant transformational changes across the enterprise, including the acquisition and integration of new institutions and the continued strengthening of APEI’s long-term position. Rick has been a steady hand, always steering APEI in the right direction through periods of growth and change, and his leadership has left a lasting impact on the organization.”
Prior to his role at NV5, Mr. Codispoti was Chief Financial Officer of Ilumno Holdings, Ltd., a higher education company providing learning platforms and technology solutions to universities throughout Latin America. His career also includes serving as Chief Financial Officer of JetSmarter and TradeStation Group, Inc., as well as holding senior finance and accounting positions at Kos Pharmaceuticals. Mr. Codispoti began his professional journey in public accounting with Arthur Andersen, LLP.
A Certified Public Accountant, Mr. Codispoti is a member of both the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He holds a Bachelor of Accounting and a Master of Accounting from Florida International University.
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