New Collaboration Bridges Innovation and Impact
IronBrick Enhances Workday Value for Edge Members
To further strengthen their commitment to empowering higher education institutions with cutting-edge solutions, Edge recently added IronBrick, a Workday resell partner specializing in selling Workday to the higher education and public sector markets, to the EdgeMarket Cooperative Pricing System. The addition of this industry leader resulted from a successful bid through the Higher Education Ecosystem (HEES) Request for Proposal (RFP), which is designed to give colleges and universities easier access to a broad range of software and solutions that support institutional success.
By combining Edge’s streamlined procurement platform with IronBrick’s sector-specific knowledge and the robust capabilities of the Workday platform, colleges and universities can gain a comprehensive solution tailored to their complex and changing needs. “This alignment marks a significant milestone in Edge’s commitment to empowering higher education institutions with cutting-edge solutions,” said Dan Miller, AVP EdgeMarket and Solution Strategy. “Workday and IronBrick are industry leaders enabling excellence in higher education operations. We are confident that this collaboration will deliver exceptional value and drive positive outcomes for participating institutions.”
Modernizing Operational Applications
Workday Human Capital Management (HCM), Workday Financial Management, and Workday Student help institutions modernize both their administrative processes and campus experiences. The cloud-based Workday platform offers the flexibility, scalability, and real-time analytics institutions need to operate efficiently and make informed, data-driven decisions. Workday uses a single, object-oriented data model across all its applications and provides seamless integration to help institutions to break down silos for more efficient operations. For example, when an employee is promoted, Workday automatically updates related systems such as payroll, benefits, and financial planning. This automation minimizes manual tasks, enhances data accuracy, and offers real-time reporting and analytics.
As a leading enterprise cloud-based platform, Workday has 11,000 customers globally, and well over 500 customers in the higher education industry. “Higher education was actually the very first industry vertical at Workday,” shares Catherine Herzog, Account Executive Higher Education, Workday. “Today, we support a wide range of institutions, from private and public universities to community colleges and consortiums. Our platform serves as the backbone for their finance, HR, and student information systems. Workday was built natively in the cloud and was designed from the ground up to be unified and cloud first. That foundational difference helps higher ed institutions streamline processes in a way that traditional systems are unable to do.”
“One of the most compelling things about Edge is the deep level of engagement from the higher education community. In my conversations with CIOs and leaders across HR, finance, and student affairs, it’s clear they don’t just see Edge as a procurement vehicle. They turn to their experts for insight, value, and trusted recommendations. That level of involvement and reliance sets Edge apart from other associations or consortiums—it’s a true community, not just a contract.”
With an intuitive, mobile-first interface, Workday offers features like self-service portals, degree planning tools, and mobile course registration to meet the needs of today’s students and faculty. Students can easily check their financial aid status or register for classes on their phones, while advisors can use dashboards to track student progress and provide more targeted support. By putting powerful tools into the hands of users, Workday helps enhance the campus experience while streamlining processes behind the scenes.
Workday Student and Workday Financial Management modules are tailored to the unique needs of colleges, universities, and other academic institutions. Workday Student is a cloud-based student information system (SIS) that is designed to manage the entire student lifecycle, from recruiting and admissions to enrollment, curriculum management, financial aid, advising, and alumni relations. Unlike traditional SIS platforms, Workday Student is cloud-native, mobile-friendly, and integrated with Workday’s HCM and Financial Management to create a unified platform for managing students, faculty, staff, and institutional finances.
Over the past two years, Herzog has connected with Edge’s Dan Miller and Adam Scarzafava, Vice President of Marketing, Business Development, and EdgeEvents, through EdgeCon and other events, and had discussed creating this alignment. “Now, it’s about working together to bring more institutions into the Workday ecosystem while also promoting the Edge community,” says Herzog. “The CIOs I work with are incredibly engaged with Edge, and I think that speaks volumes about the strength of those relationships.”
Delivering Tailored Workday Solutions
Founded in 2006, IronBrick is a specialized IT consulting firm focused on Workday support, and serves as a trusted Sales partner for organizations deploying Workday HCM, Workday Financial Management, and Workday Student. “IronBrick has built a strong reputation through its evolution from infrastructure solutions to cloud-based enterprise applications,” says Zebulon Mellett, President, IronBrick Associates, LLC. “We started out in the mid-2000s providing hardware and software reselling and implementation services, primarily for the federal government. Back then, we focused on data center modernization projects using technologies like NetApp and Cisco, traditional infrastructure work that was in high demand.”
As the technology landscape shifted and public cloud platforms became dominant, IronBrick recognized the need to evolve. “The infrastructure market changed dramatically,” explains Mellett. “We made a strategic decision to move up the technology stack and focus on the application layer, where we saw real long-term opportunity. As we explored several enterprise platforms during that transition, my 25 years in a competitive ecosystem gave me a clear perspective on what delivers real value. When it came time to decide where to invest, it quickly became clear that Workday was the right partner for us.”
“Workday has traditionally operated with a direct sales model,” continues Mellett. “But when it comes to large organizations, especially in the public sector, there’s a real need for partners who can help navigate complex acquisition processes. That’s where we saw an opportunity to add value. IronBrick identified a growing demand among public sector organizations to modernize their ERP systems but recognized that implementation alone wasn’t enough. It’s not just about wanting to modernize, it’s about how they’ll actually acquire the solutions they need. We step in to provide that critical layer of support to help these institutions move forward.”
“Workday’s commitment to innovation is second to none. They’re not just building for today; they’re constantly improving and releasing new capabilities twice a year. That continuous innovation model is a game-changer in a space where upgrades used to take a decade and millions of dollars. Their mission to improve the human experience through technology really resonated with us and their purpose-driven approach combined with expansive R&D investments made Workday the clear choice for the kind of business we want to build over the next 20 years.”
Beyond their role in procurement, IronBrick was also drawn to the forward-looking approach to enterprise software Workday offers. “Workday’s commitment to innovation is second to none,” says Mellett. “They’re not just building for today; they’re constantly improving and releasing new capabilities twice a year. That continuous innovation model is a game-changer in a space where upgrades used to take a decade and millions of dollars. Their mission to improve the human experience through technology really resonated with us and their purpose-driven approach combined with expansive R&D investments made Workday the clear choice for the kind of business we want to build over the next 20 years.”
That decision laid the groundwork for IronBrick’s current focus: delivering tailored Workday solutions for higher education and the public sector. Now, as part of the EdgeMarket Cooperative Pricing System, IronBrick is positioned to bring its deep industry experience and focus on Workday to a broader range of institutions. “IronBrick is excited to collaborate with Edge and Workday to provide a new avenue for purchasing Workday for higher education institutions under the HEES RFP,” says Mellett. “Our focused expertise in the higher education sector, combined with Edge’s strong relationships and the Workday platform, will allow for long-term success for our clients.”
Optimizing Technology Solutions
One of the key differentiators of the Workday platform is its seamless integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning, collectively branded as Workday Illuminate. Rather than treating AI as an add-on feature, Workday embeds intelligent capabilities directly into its core applications to transform how institutions and organizations operate. From predictive analytics that help identify at-risk employees to anomaly detection that flags unusual financial activity, Workday Illuminate equips users with real-time insights to make smarter, faster decisions. To support workforce agility and employee growth, features like AI-powered skills matching also help align employee capabilities with new opportunities. AI-driven tools allow organizations to anticipate needs while automating routine processes and enhancing personalization across the user experience.
As a Sales Partner, IronBrick acts as a bridge between the software and its users, to ensure institutions realize the full value of the Workday platform. Whether it’s helping a university improve operational efficiency or introducing predictive tools to support student success, they ensure that the technology is not just implemented but optimized. IronBrick’s support shortens implementation timelines, reduces risk, and can help Edge members get more value from their investment.
Empowering Higher Education Institutions
By bringing these two industry leaders into the EdgeMarket Cooperative Pricing System, Edge is enhancing access to tools that support operational excellence and long-term value for colleges and universities. The collaboration is expected to drive measurable outcomes for participating institutions, reinforcing Edge’s role as a strategic ally in higher education transformation. “One of the most compelling things about Edge is the deep level of engagement from the higher education community,” says Herzog. “In my conversations with CIOs and leaders across HR, finance, and student affairs, it’s clear they don’t just see Edge as a procurement vehicle. They turn to their experts for insight, value, and trusted recommendations. That level of involvement and reliance sets Edge apart from other associations or consortiums—it’s a true community, not just a contract.”
“It’s clear that Edge has built a level of trust and credibility in the higher education space that’s incredibly valuable, not just to its members, but to organizations like us. By joining the Edge community, we’re now aligned with institutions that know what they want and expect excellence. Being able to finally say ‘yes’ when asked if Workday is available through a trusted, reputable vehicle like EdgeMarket is a huge milestone for us. It means institutions can access a leading, tier-one solution through a channel they already know and trust.”
Mellett adds, “It’s clear that Edge has built a level of trust and credibility in the higher education space that’s incredibly valuable, not just to its members, but to organizations like us. By joining the Edge community, we’re now aligned with institutions that know what they want and expect excellence. Being able to finally say ‘yes’ when asked if Workday is available through a trusted, reputable vehicle like EdgeMarket is a huge milestone for us. It means institutions can access a leading, tier-one solution through a channel they already know and trust.”
For many small, private institutions, the idea of implementing a modern enterprise system can feel out of reach, especially when budgets are tight and legacy systems have been in place for decades. “We were working with one institution in Pennsylvania who proved that size and resources don’t have to be a barrier to transformation,” shares Herzog. “The institution had completely outdated systems across the board and had one platform for finance, another for HR, and a separate student information system, all of which were 20 to 30 years old. They didn’t have the budget for a major investment, but even smaller institutions with limited resources can still move forward with Workday. That’s why I love the phrase, Pathways to Value, because it’s exactly what we were able to demonstrate. In addition to cost savings, we can help increase productivity, employee satisfaction, and long-term institutional health.”
“IronBrick is excited to collaborate with Edge and Workday to provide a new avenue for purchasing Workday for higher education institutions under the HEES RFP. Our focused expertise in the higher education sector, combined with Edge’s strong relationships and the Workday platform, will allow for long-term success for our clients.”
The college realized that their aging financial systems were more than just a nuisance and they were contributing to broader financial instability. “The institution came to understand that their legacy tech was holding them back, and that by modernizing, they could not only stabilize their operations, but position themselves for growth,” explains Herzog. “Yes, it required upfront investment, but they were already seeing how the ROI would take shape down the road. Plus, in today’s market, you can’t attract or retain top talent with outdated systems. People want to work with modern tools, and being able to say you work with Workday is a recruitment advantage.”
Workday delivers robust, enterprise-grade software to institutions and governments, while IronBrick brings the flexibility and responsiveness needed to tailor those solutions to specific needs, especially in complex public sector and higher education environments. “Where IronBrick really adds value is in our ability to be nimble and responsive,” says Mellett. “We’re a small business that’s built to bring efficiency, creativity, and flexibility into the process and we complement Workday very well.”
That complementary model has already proven successful in a variety of public sector engagements. IronBrick has supported implementations in cities like Minneapolis, Cleveland, and Akron, and with organizations such as Singing River Health System in southern Mississippi. “We’re having ongoing conversations across the state, local, and higher ed markets,” continues Mellett. “Much of it is driven through contract access, but it’s also about providing a white-glove acquisition service and wrapping around what Workday does best and making the process as smooth and strategic as possible.”
As demand grows for flexible procurement options and scalable solutions, IronBrick’s role as both a technology partner and procurement strategist continues to expand and offer institutions more than just software, but a guided pathway to meaningful transformation.
Adding Value to the Edge Community
For public institutions navigating complex procurement processes, the alignment between Edge, Workday, and IronBrick can offer a means to streamline access to Workday’s solutions. “I’m currently working with a New Jersey institution and we’re building a business value case for ERP modernization,” shares Herzog. “If they choose to move forward, procurement doesn’t have to be a hurdle. Thanks to our collaboration with Edge and IronBrick, they can move forward quickly and compliantly. To elevate this alignment even further, we’ve also been discussing ways to actively engage with the community and provide thought leadership through webinars and other content to share valuable insights and foster collaboration across the higher education ecosystem.”
To maximize the potential of the new alignment across various channels, Mellett says it’s all about adding value to the Edge member community. “Making solutions like Workday accessible through EdgeMarket is just the start. We want to leverage newsletters, magazines, speaking opportunities at EdgeCon events, and bring forward cutting-edge topics like AI in a way that makes sense from the Workday perspective. Providing value is at the core of what we want to achieve, and when we look back five years from now, the success of this alignment will be measured by the real impact and value delivered to Edge members.”