Nelnet Hires New Product & Eng Lead
Nelnet Campus Commerce, a major player in higher-ed payment tech, has named Evan Claudeanos as its new Managing Director of Product and Engineering. The hire signals a continued focus on technology and product development at the division.
Evan Claudeanos previously founded and served as CEO of Amaforge, a company that develops data-driven solutions to help universities achieve their funding and research objectives. His background in creating technology specifically for the higher education sector directly aligns with Nelnet's core market. The move comes as student payment preferences are rapidly shifting. A 2025 study found 96% of schools saw an increase in student preference for ACH payments, while 62% noted a rise in the use of digital wallets. This creates a complex payment environment for universities to manage. This fragmentation of payment methods is a major operational hurdle for higher education institutions. 44% of schools report increased costs from managing multiple payment platforms, and 40% have seen a heavier administrative workload due to the need to reconcile various payment sources. Nelnet Campus Commerce provides a suite of products aimed at simplifying this complexity, including solutions for payment processing, refunds, tuition payment plans, and online storefronts. The company's offerings integrate with major university Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. The higher education fintech space is focused on creating a more seamless and digital campus experience. Key trends include the adoption of contactless payment systems, hybrid card readers that accept both campus cards and credit/debit, and the move toward mobile-first credentials stored in digital wallets. In his new role, Claudeanos will be responsible for driving product innovation and technical strategy to address these challenges. His leadership is expected to help Nelnet enhance its tools to support student financial wellness and improve operational efficiency for its partner institutions.
