The Premier Education Group (PEG) is a privately held company that operates for-profit vocational education institutions in the northeastern United States. Programs offered by PEG institutions vary by location, but include training in massage therapy, medical assisting, medical billing, paralegal, and computer information technology.
Premier is based in East Haven, Connecticut. The company was started in 1965, when it established its first school.
Institutions
Premier operates programs at 26 locations under nine institutional names:
- Branford Hall Career Institute has locations in Branford, Southington and Windsor, Connecticut; Springfield, Massachusetts; Albany, Amityville and Bohemia, New York; and Jersey City, North Brunswick, Parsippany and Woodland Park, New Jersey.
- Hallmark Institute of Photography, in Turner's Falls, Massachusetts, was acquired by Premier after the bankruptcy of its previous owner.
- Harris School of Business was opened in New Jersey in 1965 by Ethel Harris of Camden, New Jersey. Harris School of Business now has locations in Danbury, Connecticut; Dover and Wilmington, Delaware; Cherry Hill, Hamilton, Linwood and Voorhees, New Jersey; and Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.
- The Harris-Casel Institute is located in Melbourne, Florida.
- Salter College has two locations in Massachusetts, one in Chicopee and one in West Boylston (Worcester area). Premier acquired it in 2002 and oversaw its transition from a certificate-only trade school to an accredited two-year college.
- Salter School has locations in Fall River, Malden, New Bedford, and Tewksbury, Massachusetts.
- Salter School of Nursing & Allied Health is located in Manchester, New Hampshire.
- Seacoast Career Schools, with campuses in Sanford, Maine and Manchester, New Hampshire, was acquired by Premier in 2001.
- American College for Medical Careers is located in Orlando, Florida.
Controversy
Premier Education Group has faced allegations of fraudulently misrepresenting school accreditations and certifications, and of unprofessional academic practices. A federal lawsuit by seven former employees charges that school officials routinely misled students about their career prospects, and falsified records to enroll them and keep them enrolled, so that they could continue to get government grant and loan dollars. A principal owner of Premier was Andrew N. Yao, who was convicted of fraud and served time in federal prison.
References
External links
- Official website
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