CAIS PARTNERS

Thank you to our sustaining partners for their generous support!

At its core, we believe the CAIS Partnership Program is about a partnership between organizations that serve CAIS schools and the schools themselves. To learn more about our partnership program, contact Christina Dixcy.


 Association Partner

DovetailED LogoDovetailED crafts a perfect fit between the multi-faceted hiring needs of independent schools and the limitless talents of prospective teachers, administrators, and school leaders. After partnering closely with each school to define the range and combination of needs for each open position, we apply a dynamic sourcing approach to develop a pool of meticulously qualified and genuinely interested candidates. DovetailED identifies and engages candidates who aren’t on anybody’s radar screen by skillfully accessing an extensive online database of diverse candidates and leveraging highly personalized outreach.
Contact: Zack Lehman, [email protected]860-231-6612

 Principal Partner

CLA LogoCLA exists to create opportunities for our clients, our people, and our communities through industry-focused wealth advisory, digital, audit, tax, consulting, and outsourcing services. With nearly 9,000 people, more than 130 U.S. locations, and a global vision, we promise to know you and help you. For more information, visit CLAconnect.com. CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen LLP) is an independent network member of CLA Global. See CLAglobal.com/disclaimer. Investment advisory services are offered through CliftonLarsonAllen Wealth Advisors, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor.
Contact: John Toscano, [email protected], 860-231-6612

 Key Partners

CCi VoiceFrom consulting and training to project implementation and customer support, CCi Voice is with you every step of the way. And we are not just voice! In addition to hosted VoIP and on-site phone systems, we offer expertise in managed network solutions, video surveillance, door access control, paging and cabling. We specialize in offering flexible solutions and savings to independent schools. Our technicians and engineers can either collaborate with your IT staff on project planning and implementation or we can assume the role of your IT staff ourselves- whatever is best for you.
Contact: Michael LeBlanc, [email protected], 203-664-1777
Cross InsuranceCross Insurance is one of the largest family held insurance brokerages in the country, supporting businesses of all sizes with property & casualty insurance, risk management programs, as well as employee benefit plans. Cross is headquartered in Bangor Maine and has over 50 offices across the East Coast, including 10 in Connecticut. Our education practice is focused on helping independent schools with the design, implementation, as well as administration of individualized property & casualty programs. We strive to act as an extension of the business office and serve as the outsourced risk advisor to trustees and school leadership teams.
Contact: John Gover, [email protected], 717-979-9838
Direct CleanDirect Clean Service Solutions provides an innovative and disciplined service delivery system for educational cleaning and facility management solutions. We prioritize high performance team cleaning and we place value on providing an exceptional service culture everyday. This will show up in your facilities as we don't just preach it, we live it.
Contact: Kurt Breckheimer, [email protected], 347-232-7366
FACTSFACTS Management partners with K-12 schools across the country to help manage their end-to-end needs for everything academic and financial related. In Connecticut, FACTS is partnered with over 100 schools to help with their tuition and fee receivables through flexible payment plan and student billing options.
Contact: Tausha Bahm, [email protected], 402-325-7265

Sage DiningFor more than three decades, SAGE Dining Services® has been defining the standard in food service for independent schools and colleges throughout North America. SAGE's unparalleled expertise in nutrition, culinary trends, and community involvement produces exceptional dining experiences that delight the senses, inspire minds, and foster community. Learn more at sagedining.com.
Contact: Carl Sharrio, [email protected], 410-339-3950
Stifel logoStifel's expertise is in helping independent schools understand, evaluate, plan for and execute any and all strategies related to debt. 
Contact: Natasha Walth [email protected], 617-691-0954
TIAATIAA was founded in 1918 to help teachers retire with confidence. That mission grew to include those in healthcare and more, creating reliable income for their futures while they work to make a difference today. Our commitment to be the change—for our clients, associates and communities—has never wavered and it’s what motivates us to deliver lifetime income for all with investments that build a better world.
Contact: Janet Lorden, [email protected]

Updike Kelly SpellacyUpdike, Kelly & Spellacy P.C., with three offices throughout the state of Connecticut, represents a wide range of educational law clients in a variety of practice areas including Commercial Lending and Banking, Employment, Healthcare, Real Estate, Governance, Taxation, Environmental, and Trusts & Estates.  We believe in a commonsense approach to legal issues and challenges facing our education and business clients.  Our firm provides legal and counseling services to independent schools on a variety of matters.  Our attorneys have the experience to help schools navigate internal and external investigations, student discipline issues, employment issues, municipal tax exemption matters, school/parent relationships, board relationships and governance issues, by-law reviews, student, parent and faculty handbook reviews, and vendor, staff and faculty contract preparation and review.
Contact: Christopher Brigham, [email protected], 203-786-8310

Select Partners

A.W.G. Dewar LogoA.W.G. Dewar, Inc. is the originator of tuition reimbursement insurance. Dewar’s expert service has been trusted by over 1,200 premier independent schools across North America for nearly a century. The Tuition Refund Plan offers substantial protection to schools and their families from the financial consequences associated with student withdrawals and dismissals. 
Contact: Jack Strain, [email protected], 617-774-1555
Armanino LogoArmanino LLP is one of the 20 largest independent accounting and business consulting firms in the nation. A certified B Corporation®, Armanino provides an integrated set of audit, tax, business management, consulting and technology solutions to companies in the U.S. and globally. Audit and attest services performed in New York are provided by Armanino CPA LLP. The firm helps clients adapt and change in every stage of business, from startup through rapid growth to the sale of a company. Armanino emphasizes smart technology, leading a cloud revolution of financial, operational, sales and compliance tools that are transforming the way companies do business.
Contact: Josh Nevarez, [email protected], 925-790-2710
BBE LogoFounded in 1921, Bartlett Brainard Eacott (BBE) has been serving the construction needs of the independent school market in New England for over 100 years. Ranked by Engineering News Record among the Top 400 Contractors in the country, BBE has built over 1 million square feet of inspirational, nurturing learning and living environments for K-12 Independent Schools.
Contact: Beth Taylor, [email protected]
Cater to You LogoAt Cater To You Dining Services, we excel at all we do. Our food is wholesome and delicious, our attention to detail and service is impeccable, and our catering is inspiring. But perhaps most important, our desire to build meaningful, lasting relationships is unparalleled. Since 1988, our school dining programs have been centered around simply prepared delicious meals created with better-for-you ingredients: hormone- and antibiotic-free proteins, whole grains, legumes, healthy fats, and an abundance of colorful, fresh seasonal produce. And, when we say from scratch cooking, we really mean it. We do not view ourselves as simply your food service provider, but more as a dynamic partner to help make your school days healthier, brighter, and well-nourished. 
Contact: William Velez, [email protected], 212-535-2640
CISHP LogoConnecticut Independent Schools Health Plan (CISHP) was established in 1993 to offer a health insurance program available to independent schools who are members of the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (CAIS). Eligibility was updated due to ACA requirements that participating schools must have 51 or more eligible employees. CISHP offers medical (choice of 5 plans), dental (choice of 3 plans), vision, life and disability plans.  Participating schools also have access to a Benefit Solutions Portal.  The CISHP program is overseen by an Executive Committee comprised of finance leaders from CAIS member schools and including the CAIS Executive Director.
Contact: John Duggan of Willis Towers Watson, [email protected], 860-756-7419
EarlyBird Power LogoIndependent schools engage EarlyBird Power to save money on their energy costs. CAIS selected EarlyBird Power to manage the CAIS Energy Coop, an energy buying group that leverages the volume of 46 participating schools. By aggregating the total load of the group, each school is able to secure the lowest available rates for their electricity and natural gas supply. CAIS member schools also seek EarlyBird's expertise in leveraging rebates for energy efficiency upgrades, sourcing green power, and exploring solar installations on their campuses. Contact EarlyBird Power if you would like a no-cost utility bill audit or to learn more about the CAIS Energy Coop for your school.
Contact: Sean Kenney, [email protected], 617-548-3205
FORVIS Mazars LogoThe Private Schools Team at Forvis Mazars is driven by our commitment to forward vision. As a top 10 public accounting firm and a thought leader in the industry, we provide innovative services and valuable insights to help our clients thrive and attain their goals. We are committed to providing an Unmatched Client Experience® that supports your school with its many fiscal needs. Forvis Mazars provides a variety of services to its school clientele, including audit and tax services, as well as advisory services and thought leadership focused on specific issues for the private school sector.
Contact: Joseph Blatt, [email protected], 646-253-5253
Gregory and Howe LogoGregory & Howe is a Management Company that provides personalized service and solutions to clients that are required to comply with State and Federal Safety regulations. Gregory & Howe reduces the administrative burden which allows our clients to focus on their core competency.
Contact: George Howe, [email protected], 203-939-5750
MDG BenefitsMDG is an insurance broker assisting schools with the design, implementation and administrations of employee benefit & healthcare insurance programs.  Our agency services a variety of clients in the education space. Employee benefit plans are customized to each school's needs.
Contact: Matthew Libby, [email protected], 203-315-0505
Paymerang Logo Paymerang provides a streamlined invoice and payment automation platform that bring Accounts Payable (AP) departments into the modern age. Paymerang's platform saves AP departments thousands of hours annually, enhances visibility, increases accuracy, improves efficiency, and earns rebates while reducing paper, fraud risks, and operating costs.
Contact: Katherine Whitton, [email protected]
PKFPKF O'Connor Davies, LLP is a full-service certified public accounting and consulting firm specializing in providing accounting, auditing, tax and management advisory services to not-for-profit organizations. We have a long history of serving not-for-profit organizations, including many independent schools. PKF O’Connor Davies has one of the largest independent school practices with 30 professionals working with over 150 independent schools, enabling us to bring important industry best practices to tackle operational, technological, and regulatory issues. We leverage our in-depth understanding of how independent schools operate to provide outstanding audit, tax and advisory services, and to help leaders address business issues that grow in quantity and complexity with every graduating class.We have assisted independent schools with many issues beyond regular audit and tax services, including campus expansion and capital improvements, development / fundraising, investment performance / endowment funds, and employee compensation plans to name a few. Our focused education and not-for-profit industry experience as well as best practices expertise are powerful assets to our independent school clients. In today’s environment, transparency of financial reporting and the effectiveness of internal control systems within an organization are under intense scrutiny. Your stakeholders, including your board, donors, parents, students, and other interested parties, expect you to perform at an optimal level in these areas. That is why choosing a certified public accounting firm – always an important decision – is even more important.
Contact: Contact: Robert Cordero, [email protected], 914-341-7031
Schoolhouse PicturesLogoSchoolhouse Pictures - Discover the SMART SOLUTION for independent school pictures. PAPERLESS process. Save time for school administrators and parents by eliminating paper forms. ONLINE ordering. Say goodbye to stuffing print packages into backpacks. Parents receive print orders at their homes. AUTHENTIC photos. Gone are the days of fake picture backdrops. Students will have their pictures taken outside, so that your school will be in the background.
Contact: Mary Beth Cully, [email protected], 609-466-5344
Shipman Logo Shipman's Shipman's Independent School lawyers understand firsthand the complex issues and distinctive nature of the independent school environment. As experienced advisors in the education and school law field, we are counsel to over 150 educational institutions, including a diverse group of independent day and boarding schools, including Montessori, K-12, junior boarding, and religiously affiliated schools. Working across internal school departments, from the head of school to human resources, we provide integrated counsel tailored to meet the needs of the school community. We understand the complexity of the school environment and our clients' need to have practical, real-time solutions to even the most complicated legal issues in a timely and cost-effective manner. Whether our clients are navigating a student discipline matter or employment claim, engaging in new campus construction, or responding to regional, national or global disruptions, we have them covered.
Contact: Jessica Mantzaris, [email protected], 860-251-5000
Universal Connectivity LogoUniversal Connectivity is a local, premier Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) provider, offering enterprise-class business VoIP phone systems, secure internet services, managed network solutions, managed cybersecurity, emergency notification systems and E911 solutions, and collaboration tools. Our full range of technology solutions and unmatched customer service help independent schools achieve their goals to deliver enhanced support and opportunities. We provide strategic and sustainable ways to reduce costs, increase efficiencies, improve user experience, enhance mobility, and support unlimited growth.
Contact: James Smith, [email protected], 860-808-1412

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Last Updated on Friday, September 13, 2024 03:39 PM