CoreTrust Expands Platform Through Acquisition of BuyQ, a Leading Group Purchasing Organization Serving Charter and Private Schools

Strategic acquisition extends CoreTrust's procurement platform into $22B+ charter and private school segment, delivering expanded capabilities to 4K+ schools while creating significant new growth opportunities for trusted network of supplier partners

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CoreTrust, a leading Group Purchasing Organization serving businesses and public agencies nationwide, today announced its acquisition of BuyQ, a trusted national procurement partner for charter and private schools. The transaction marks CoreTrust's strategic expansion into the education sector and represents a significant extension of its platform into a large and underserved community. Importantly, it also enables its network of supplier partners to reach a new, high-growth member segment while accelerating value creation for constituents across both organizations, and positions the combined organization to deliver enhanced value to schools, supplier partners, and both member bases.

Founded in 2013, BuyQ has built deep expertise serving the unique procurement needs of charter and private schools – a fast-growing segment that educates nearly 4 million students nationally. Today, BuyQ serves more than 4,000 schools including 80+ of the nation's top 100 Charter Management Organizations, providing access to competitively negotiated contracts with a curated group of trusted supplier partners across evolving classroom technology, essential supplies, facilities, and furniture.

Significant and Natural Platform Extension

The acquisition of BuyQ represents a logical adjacency for CoreTrust. Charter and private schools operate with greater procurement autonomy than traditional district schools, but often lack the resources and expertise to optimize spending, creating significant opportunity for a scaled, technology-enabled GPO model.

"This acquisition is about bringing together two organizations that share a fundamental commitment: helping mission-driven institutions redirect resources from overhead to their core purpose," said James Hallock, CEO of CoreTrust. "BuyQ has spent over a decade building trust and delivering results to the charter and private school community. By combining their specialized expertise with CoreTrust's scale, supplier relationships, and technology infrastructure, we can help schools achieve outcomes that neither organization could deliver independently."

“CoreTrust’s acquisition of BuyQ is an exciting opportunity to expand how we support schools across the country,” said Michele Parzianello, Chief Sales Officer, Staples Business, a long-standing supplier partner to both CoreTrust and BuyQ. “By combining BuyQ’s deep expertise in the education sector with CoreTrust’s scale and technology capabilities, we’ll help charter and private schools operate more efficiently and direct more of their resources to where they matter most — their students. Supporting classrooms has always been central to our mission, and this partnership helps us do even more of that.”

Commitment to Education Mission and Service Excellence

"What makes BuyQ special is its relationships, expertise, and commitment to doing right by its member schools," said Daniel Casselli, President of BuyQ, who will continue leading the business as a member of the CoreTrust organization. "CoreTrust shares those values and is investing to enhance them. Our members and supplier partners will work with the same people they trust, now supported by enhanced resources, technology, contract alternatives, and capabilities. For our supplier partners, this means expanded reach and a stronger platform to support mutual growth.”

The acquisition also enables BuyQ to further scale and technology-enable its high-touch consulting practice, which has proven highly effective at helping members schools to analyze spending, improve procurement processes, and consolidate purchases onto preferred contracts – driving both member savings and supplier volume growth.

Operational Continuity and Integration Approach

Under the agreement, BuyQ will maintain its brand, team, and specialized focus on charter and private schools. Daniel Casselli will continue to lead BuyQ, with founders Marco Rafanelli and Christine Rafanelli remaining intimately engaged through the company’s transition period. All existing supplier contracts, member relationships, and pricing will continue without disruption.

"This is a growth investment," added Donna Donato, Chief Portfolio Officer of CoreTrust. "We are acquiring BuyQ to learn from their model and provide them with the additional resources to scale what is already working. The education sector deserves specialized expertise and dedicated focus, which is exactly what BuyQ provides and what we're committed to preserving."

Building a Platform for Mission-Driven Procurement

The transaction represents CoreTrust's first acquisition as an independent organization, and establishes a framework for serving diverse vertical markets through specialized platforms backed by shared infrastructure and capabilities.

"Education is a natural starting point, but our vision extends beyond any single sector," said Hallock. "There are many communities of mission-driven organizations that deserve procurement partnerships built around their unique needs rather than one-size-fits-all approaches. BuyQ demonstrates how that model creates value, and we're excited to bring it to additional markets over time."

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The acquisition closed on November 18, 2025 following customary due diligence and approvals.

For more information, visit www.coretrustpg.com and www.buyq.org.

About CoreTrust

CoreTrust, a leading Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) since 2006, is trusted by over 3,800 businesses as an invaluable procurement partner for securing cost savings, price stability, and control over indirect spend. With over $8 billion in annual purchasing power, CoreTrust offers 125+ pre-negotiated supplier contracts across spend categories including Corporate Services, Facilities, Supply Chain and Logistics, Human Resources, Pharmacy Benefit Management, Technology, and Travel. Through CoreTrust's digital marketplace (CXP), members enjoy access to expertly curated supplier contracts, actionable insights, and significant savings—all at no additional cost. Learn more at www.coretrustpg.com and follow us on LinkedIn.

About BuyQ

BuyQ is the leading group purchasing organization serving charter and private schools across the United States. Founded in 2013, BuyQ helps more than 4,000 schools access better pricing and terms on essential goods and services by leveraging collective purchasing power. BuyQ also provides consulting services that help schools improve procurement processes, increase savings, and better serve students and communities. Learn more at www.buyq.org