Robert Weiner

JANUARY 27, 2012

Lots of people have already weighed in on Blackbaud’s purchase of Convio (two of my favorites: [link] and [link] ). Disclosures: I have clients that use both companies’ products, as well as products from their competitors, open source products, and homegrown solutions. My main questions are about product strategies.

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Blackbaud Convio Open Source Product 222

Robert Weiner

AUGUST 30, 2012

Yesterday the news was that Blackbaud had laid off 50 employees it acquired when it bought Convio in May. In what was said to be an unrelated development, they also announced the departure of Gene Austin, the former CEO of Convio. The Blackbaud/Convio staff I spoke with seemed taken aback by this decision.

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Blackbaud Convio Database Austin 264

Robert Weiner

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Nonprofits that are currently using Common Ground Enterprise, Luminate, and Convio Online Marketing are also nervous. But with a cloud-based system, when a vendor ends support or goes out of business the product can simply vanish. I doubt they’re the only ones.

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Blackbaud Convio Database Statistics 171

Robert Weiner

MARCH 4, 2013

Last year the big news in my industry was Blackbaud's acquisition of Convio and the merger/acquisition of Datatel and Sungard Higher Education (now called Ellucian). Millennium users, at least, seem excited about the change and the possibility of new investment in the product. for the foreseeable future.”

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Software Convio Press Blackbaud 122