# Ambassadors Group

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{{Short description|American education travel company}}
{{Infobox company
|name             = Ambassadors Group, Inc.
|logo             = Ambassadors Group logo.png
|traded_as        = {{NASDAQ was|EPAX}}
|slogan           = 
|foundation       = [Spokane, Washington](/source/Spokane%2C_Washington) (1967)
|location         = Spokane, Washington
|key_people       = 
|num_employees    = 
|products         = 
|subsid           = [BookRags](/source/BookRags)
|homepage         = {{URL|https://archive.today/20130116192319/http://www.ambassadorsgroup.com}}
|industry         = [Education](/source/Education)al [travel](/source/travel)
|revenue          = {{nowrap|{{profit}}US$98.6 million (''FY 2009'') <ref name = 2009IncomeStatmenent>[https://web.archive.org/web/20111219234658/http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Ambassadors_Group_(EPAX)/Data/Income_Statement Ambassadors Group (EPAX) annual SEC income statement filing via Wikinvest.]</ref>}}
|operating_income = {{profit}}US$32.2 million (''FY 2009'')<ref name = 2009IncomeStatmenent/>
|net_income       = {{profit}}US$20.3 million (''FY 2009'')<ref name = 2009IncomeStatmenent/>
|assets           = {{increase}}US$128 million (''FY 2009'')<ref name = 2009BalanceSheet>[https://web.archive.org/web/20111219234126/http://www.wikinvest.com/stock/Ambassadors_Group_(EPAX)/Data/Balance_Sheet Ambassadors Group (EPAX) annual SEC balance sheet filing via Wikinvest.]</ref>
|equity           = {{increase}}US$91.0 million (''FY 2009'')<ref name = 2009BalanceSheet/>
}}
{{Infobox website
| name           = BookRags
| logo           = BookRags logo.png
| screenshot     = BookRags screenshot.png
| caption        = 
| url            = {{URL|www.bookrags.com}}
| commercial     = Yes
| type           = Internet [Study guide](/source/Study_guide) and [Lesson plan](/source/Lesson_plan)
| language       = English
| registration   = Yes
| owner          = Ambassadors Group
| founder        = James Yagmin and David Lieberman
| launch_date    = 
| current_status = Active
| revenue        = 
}}
'''Ambassadors Group, Inc.''' was a [publicly traded](/source/Public_company) educational travel company based in [Spokane, Washington](/source/Spokane%2C_Washington).<ref>{{cite news|title=Ambassadors Group reports jump in Q2 results |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2004/07/19/daily11.html |work=[Puget Sound Business Journal](/source/Puget_Sound_Business_Journal) |publisher=[American City Business Journals](/source/American_City_Business_Journals) |date=2004-07-19 |access-date=19 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110526132704/http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2004/07/19/daily11.html |archive-date=2011-05-26 |url-status=live }}</ref> It was originally an operating division of Ambassadors International, Inc., but was divested into a separate corporation in 2002 to form the company under its current name.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ambassadors to spin off its student travel group |url=http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SR&p_theme=sr&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F16A0495129EEF0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |work=[The Spokesman-Review](/source/The_Spokesman-Review) |publisher=[Cowles Publishing Company](/source/Cowles_Publishing_Company) |date=2002-01-30 |access-date=19 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017044709/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SR&p_theme=sr&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F16A0495129EEF0&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM |archive-date=17 October 2012 |url-status=<!--dead-->live }}</ref> The CEO was Jeffrey Thomas, whose 2009 compensation totaled over $1.7 million.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://people.forbes.com/profile/jeffrey-d-thomas/4053 | title = Jeffrey D. Thomas | year = 2010 | access-date = 18 January 2011 | work = Forbes | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110219101633/http://people.forbes.com/profile/jeffrey-d-thomas/4053 | archive-date = 19 February 2011 | url-status = dead }}</ref>

This for-profit company has a close business relationship with [People to People Student Ambassador Program](/source/People_to_People_Student_Ambassador_Program) and several other related cultural exchange groups involving students from several countries.{{citation needed|date=October 2010}}

According to the company's end of year filings, in 2008 and 2009, Ambassadors Group served 41,929 and 34,248 travelers, respectively.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ambassadors Group Reports Results for the Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2008 |url=http://biz.yahoo.com/pz/090205/159098.html |format=press release |work=Ambassadors Group |publisher=[Yahoo! Finance](/source/Yahoo!_Finance) |date=2009-02-05 |access-date=2009-03-05 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240524083618/https://www.webcitation.org/5f2aR6gGz?url=http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Ambassadors-Group-Reports-pz-14271896.html |archive-date=2024-05-24 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2010, the company estimated that it would serve 26,674 participants (a net decrease of 22%.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ambassadors Group Reports Results for the third Quarter 2010 |url=http://www.ambassadorsgroup.com/EPAX/Frames/ContentFrame/PDF/2010/Q3-PR-2010-FINAL.pdf |format=press release |work=Ambassadors Group |date=2010-10-20 |access-date=2010-10-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110707130430/http://www.ambassadorsgroup.com/EPAX/Frames/ContentFrame/PDF/2010/Q3-PR-2010-FINAL.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-07 |url-status=live }}</ref>)

==History ==
* In 1956, President Dwight D. Eisenhower founded People to People.
* In 1967, Ambassadors Group is founded
* In 1995, Ambassadors Group became a wholly owned subsidiary of Ambassadors International, Inc.  Jeffrey Thomas joined the company.
* In 1996, acquisition of Marc L. Bright (professionals).  Jeffrey Thomas becomes President.
* In 1999, acquisition of Travel Dynamics (sport)
* In 2001, Jeffrey Thomas became CEO
* On February 28, 2002, Ambassadors Group spun off from Ambassadors International
* In March 2007, [Ambassadors International](/source/Ambassadors_International)  bought [Windstar](/source/Windstar_Cruises) from [Carnival](/source/Carnival_Corporation_%26_plc) for $100 million.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2007-03-01|title=Windstar Cruises Sold|url=https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/13601-windstar-cruises-sold.html|access-date=2022-02-07|website=www.cruiseindustrynews.com|language=en-gb}}</ref>
* On May 15, 2008, Ambassadors Group bought [BookRags](/source/BookRags), an [education](/source/education)al website for $18 million.<ref name="BW">{{cite web|url=http://investing.businessweek.com/businessweek/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=45090920 |title=BookRags, Inc. |access-date=2009-02-21 |work=[BusinessWeek](/source/BusinessWeek) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616051947/http://investing.businessweek.com/businessweek/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapId=45090920 |archive-date=2012-06-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ambassadors Group buys BookRags for $18 million |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080521/ambassadors-group-buys-bookrags-for-18-million.htm |work=[International Business Times](/source/International_Business_Times) |publisher=[Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press) |date=2008-05-21 |access-date=22 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113122937/http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080521/ambassadors-group-buys-bookrags-for-18-million.htm |archive-date=2008-11-13 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Ambassadors Group buys BookRags |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/05/19/daily22.html |work=[Puget Sound Business Journal](/source/Puget_Sound_Business_Journal) |publisher=[American City Business Journals](/source/American_City_Business_Journals) |date=2008-05-22 |access-date=22 February 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928114759/http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/05/19/daily22.html |archive-date=2008-09-28 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [merger](/source/mergers_and_acquisitions) was a [friendly takeover](/source/Takeover).<ref>{{cite news|title=BookRags Inc & Ambassadors Group Inc |url=https://money.cnn.com/news/deals/mergers/reports/1180058020.html |work=[CNNMoney.com](/source/CNNMoney.com) |publisher=[Time Warner](/source/Time_Warner) |date=2008-12-12 |access-date=22 February 2009 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240524082856/https://www.webcitation.org/5enDRw1v2?url=http://money.cnn.com/news/deals/mergers/reports/1180058020.html |archive-date=2024-05-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* On March 17, 2009, Ambassadors Group announced its partnership with [Discovery Education](/source/Discovery_Communications) to become the travel provider for the new Discovery Student Adventures learning and adventure-based trips for students in [grades](/source/educational_stage) [5](/source/fifth_grade)&ndash;[12](/source/twelfth_grade).<ref>{{cite news |title=Discovery Education to Launch International Travel Program for Students and Teachers |url=http://cblohm.com/news/DiscEd/DE_090317/ |publisher=[C. Blohm](/source/C._Blohm) |date=2009-03-17 |access-date=22 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911230850/http://www.cblohm.com/news/DiscEd/DE_090317/ |archive-date=11 September 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2010 approximately 125 students traveled.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ambassadors Group, Inc. CEO Discusses Q3 2010 Earnings - Call Transcript|url=http://seekingalpha.com/article/231543-ambassadors-group-inc-ceo-discusses-q3-2010-earnings-call-transcript?source=yahoo|format=press release |work=Ambassadors Group |publisher=seekingalpha.com|date=2010-10-21 |access-date=2010-10-22}}</ref>
* On April 30, 2013, Jeffey Thomas resigns from Ambassadors Group.
* On July 13, 2015, the company announced its imminent dissolution. Ambassadors Group cites losses of over $17.5 Million in 2014 and floundering sales as causes for closing up shop at the end of this year.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.khq.com/story/29538835/ambassadors-group-going-out-of-business |title=Ambassadors Group going out of business - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com |access-date=2015-07-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150714143854/http://www.khq.com/story/29538835/ambassadors-group-going-out-of-business |archive-date=2015-07-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref>  A bankruptcy court in Delaware held a two-day auction and [Anschutz Corporation](/source/Anschutz_Corporation) won Windstar Cruises with a bid of $39 million.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Denver billionaire Anschutz buying Windstar|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/morning_call/2011/05/denver-billionaire-anschutz-buying-5291651.html|access-date=2022-02-07|website=www.bizjournals.com}}</ref>
* On October 8, 2015, it was announced that beginning in 2016, Enriching Cultural Experiences (ECE) International will serve as the travel provider of People to People International replacing the Ambassadors Group.<ref name="urlPTPI - Immersive">{{cite web
| url = http://www.ptpi.org/Programs/Immersive-Travel
| title = PTPI - Immersive Travel & Events
| date = October 8, 2015
| access-date = 2015-10-19
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151011084854/http://www.ptpi.org/Programs/Immersive-Travel
| archive-date = October 11, 2015
| url-status = usurped
}}</ref>

Travelers (thousands) :
{|cellpadding="3px" style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em;border:1px solid #999; font-size:95%; background-color: #FFFFFF"
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|years<ref>[http://www.ambassadorsgroup.com/EPAX/default.htm   Ambassadors Group (EPAX) annual SEC 10K ]</ref>
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|1998
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|1999
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|2000
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|2001
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|2002
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|2003
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|2004
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|2005
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|2006
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|2007
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|2008
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|2009
! bgcolor="#D1D1ED" align="center"|2010
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
| travelers
| 15.5
| 17.1
| 25.3
| 25.8
| 21.0
| 22.7
| 30.6
| 37.8
| 43.1
| 52.7
| 41.9
| 34.2
| 26.7
|-bgcolor="#EFEFEF"
|}

==BookRags==
BookRags is an [education](/source/education)al website that provides summaries, [study guide](/source/study_guide)s, and [lesson plan](/source/lesson_plan)s on [literary works](/source/literature). Based in [Chicago, Illinois](/source/Chicago%2C_Illinois), United States, the website is a [subsidiary](/source/subsidiary) of Gradesaver LLC. BookRags was founded in 1999 by James Yagmin and David Lieberman, who had recently graduated from college.<ref name="BW"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bookrags.com/about/ |title=About BookRags |access-date=2009-02-21 |work=BookRags |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219015201/http://www.bookrags.com/about |archive-date=2009-02-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref> On May 15, 2008, BookRags was bought by Ambassadors Group for $18 million.<ref name="BW"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Ambassadors Group buys BookRags for $18 million |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080521/ambassadors-group-buys-bookrags-for-18-million.htm |work=[International Business Times](/source/International_Business_Times) |publisher=[Associated Press](/source/Associated_Press) |date=2008-05-21 |access-date=2009-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113122937/http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080521/ambassadors-group-buys-bookrags-for-18-million.htm |archive-date=2008-11-13 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ambassadors Group buys BookRags |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/05/19/daily22.html |work=[Puget Sound Business Journal](/source/Puget_Sound_Business_Journal) |publisher=[American City Business Journals](/source/American_City_Business_Journals) |date=2008-05-22 |access-date=2009-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080928114759/http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/05/19/daily22.html |archive-date=2008-09-28 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [merger](/source/mergers_and_acquisitions) was a [friendly takeover](/source/Takeover).<ref>{{cite news |title=BookRags Inc & Ambassadors Group Inc |url=https://money.cnn.com/news/deals/mergers/reports/1180058020.html |work=[CNNMoney.com](/source/CNNMoney.com) |publisher=[Time Warner](/source/Time_Warner) |date=2008-12-12 |access-date=2009-02-22 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240524082856/https://www.webcitation.org/5enDRw1v2?url=http://money.cnn.com/news/deals/mergers/reports/1180058020.html |archive-date=2024-05-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

BookRags contains concise book summaries and thorough analysis of more than 6,000 literary works, which is, according to one source, the largest collection online.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.doe.in.gov/lmmp/contentareas.html |title=Content Areas |access-date=2009-02-22 |work=[Indiana Department of Education](/source/Indiana_Department_of_Education) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090411090050/http://www.doe.in.gov/lmmp/contentareas.html |archive-date=2009-04-11 |url-status=dead }}</ref> It also has a list of characters and their descriptions, as well as an important quotes section.<ref>{{cite book |title=Fostering Comprehension in English Classes: Beyond the Basics |last=Philippot |first=Raymond |author2=Graves, Michael F. |year=2008 |publisher=[Guilford Press](/source/Guilford_Press) |location=[Minneapolis](/source/Minneapolis) |isbn=978-1-59385-883-4 |page=18 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E6Y-HwXsM3YC&q=BookRags&pg=PA18 }}</ref> The website has over 10,000 [e-Book](/source/e-Book)s in its collection<ref>{{cite book |title=The Digital Reader: Using E-books in K-12 Education |last=Cavanaugh |first=Terence W. |year=2006 |publisher=[ISTE](/source/ISTE_Ltd) |location=[Upper Saddle River](/source/Upper_Saddle_River%2C_New_Jersey), [New Jersey](/source/New_Jersey) |isbn=1-56484-221-5 |page=[https://archive.org/details/digitalreaderusi0000cava/page/120 120] |url=https://archive.org/details/digitalreaderusi0000cava |url-access=registration |quote=BookRags 10.000 eBooks. }}</ref> and 8,400 biographies in its database. It facilitates students purchasing duplicates of fellow students' papers.<ref name="Hansell">{{cite news |last=Hansell |first=Saul |date=2008-10-20 |title=Glam Breaks Into Top 10 in Traffic, but How? |url=http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/20/glam-breaks-into-top-10-on-traffic-but-how/ |newspaper=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |access-date=2015-01-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130706171736/http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/20/glam-breaks-into-top-10-on-traffic-but-how/?_r=0 |archive-date=2013-07-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In a 2010 interview with ''[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)'', Carl Fisher, the department chair of the [comparative world literature](/source/comparative_literature) and classics at [California State University, Long Beach](/source/California_State_University%2C_Long_Beach), criticized BookRags for being "simplistic" and "forc[ing] people to pay up front".<ref name="Furchgott">{{cite news |last=Furchgott |first=Roy |date=2010-09-15 |title=A Professor's Review of Online Cheat Sheets |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/technology/personaltech/16basics.html |newspaper=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |access-date=2015-01-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151101044826/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/16/technology/personaltech/16basics.html?_r=0 |archive-date=2015-11-01 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://archive.today/20130116192319/http://www.ambassadorsgroup.com/ Official website]

Category:Companies based in Spokane, Washington
Category:Transport companies established in 1967
Category:Education in Spokane, Washington
Category:Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq
Category:1967 establishments in Washington (state)
Category:Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2011

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ambassadors Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambassadors_Group) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambassadors_Group?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.