CoreTrust has acquired BuyQ, a national procurement partner serving charter and private schools, marking a significant expansion of CoreTrust’s platform into a fast-growing education market representing more than 4,000 schools and over $22 billion in annual spend potential. The move significantly broadens CoreTrust’s reach while giving its supplier partners access to a new high-growth member segment.
BuyQ, founded in 2013, has established itself as a specialized group purchasing organization for charter and private schools, a sector that now educates nearly four million students nationwide. The company supports more than 80 of the country’s top 100 Charter Management Organizations and offers competitively negotiated contracts for essential supplies, facilities, furniture, and classroom technology.
For CoreTrust, the acquisition represents an entry into a large, underserved market where schools typically have greater purchasing autonomy but fewer resources to optimize procurement. By combining CoreTrust’s scale, technology infrastructure, and supplier relationships with BuyQ’s deep expertise in education, the combined organization aims to improve purchasing efficiency, generate savings, and deliver greater value to member schools and supplier partners.
The company said BuyQ will retain its brand, team, and education-focused mission. President Daniel Casselli will continue to lead the business within CoreTrust, while founders Marco and Christine Rafanelli will remain closely involved during the transition. Existing supplier contracts, pricing, and member relationships will remain unchanged during integration.
The acquisition will also enable BuyQ to expand its consulting capabilities, which help schools analyze spending, streamline procurement processes, and consolidate purchases on preferred contracts. That service has been instrumental in driving both member savings and increased supplier volume.
This is CoreTrust’s first acquisition since becoming an independent organization, establishing a blueprint for future expansion into other verticals that require specialized procurement models supported by shared infrastructure. The company indicated that education is only the beginning of a broader strategy to support mission-driven sectors with tailored procurement solutions.
KEY QUOTES:
“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. 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.”
James Hallock, CEO, CoreTrust
“CoreTrust’s acquisition of BuyQ is an exciting opportunity to expand how we support schools across the country. 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.”
Michele Parzianello, Chief Sales Officer, Staples Business
“What makes BuyQ special is its relationships, expertise, and commitment to doing right by its member schools. 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.”
Daniel Casselli, President, BuyQ
“This is a growth investment. 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.”
Donna Donato, Chief Portfolio Officer, CoreTrust
“Education is a natural starting point, but our vision extends beyond any single sector. 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.”
James Hallock, CEO, CoreTrust
