# Brian Hartnack

> Brian Hartnack is the co-founder and CEO of Archer Education, a higher-education growth firm that helps colleges and universities recruit, enroll and retain online and adult learners. A Cornell history major who cut his teeth in the late-90s dot-com scene at eToys, Gifts.com and Rent.com (sold to eBay for $415M in 2005), he launched the company that became Archer in 2006. Two decades on, the firm has worked with 200+ institutions, managed 1,000+ online programs, and connected millions of students to degrees - with Hartnack arguing that the winners in education marketing pair data infrastructure with authentic storytelling.

- **Role:** Co-founder & CEO at Archer Education
- **Organizations:** Archer Education, Campus Explorer, Rent.com, Gifts.com, eToys
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** BA, History, Cornell University
- **Known for:** Co-founded and has led Archer Education for nearly two decades., Built a higher-ed growth firm partnering with 200+ institutions including Tulane University, Augusta University and the University of North Carolina System., Oversaw management of 1,000+ online programs and helped bridge millions of students to higher education.

## Career timeline

- **1999** — Graduates from Cornell University with a BA in History.
- **late 1990s-2000s** — Works in the pre-bubble dot-com startup scene at eToys and Gifts.com (VP, Product Management).
- **2005** — Helps grow Rent.com from an early-stage startup to its $415M acquisition by eBay.
- **2006** — Co-founds the company that becomes Archer Education (originally Campus Explorer).
- **2007** — Becomes CEO of Archer Education.
- **2026** — Archer Education marks 20 years, having partnered with 200+ institutions and managed 1,000+ online programs.

## Achievements

- Co-founded and has led Archer Education for nearly two decades.
- Built a higher-ed growth firm partnering with 200+ institutions including Tulane University, Augusta University and the University of North Carolina System.
- Oversaw management of 1,000+ online programs and helped bridge millions of students to higher education.
- Earlier, helped scale Rent.com to a $415M acquisition by eBay in 2005.

## Latest updates

- **2026-03** — Archer Education celebrated 20 years of online growth enablement for 200+ higher-education institutions.

## Links

- Website: https://archeredu.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/brianhartnack
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/archereducation
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archeredumarketing/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/brian-hartnack
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-06-14