Real Estate Central

Pearson VUE to Develop and Administer the Exams

BLOOMINGTON, Minn., May 20 /PRNewswire/ — Pearson VUE, the electronic
certification and licensure testing business of Pearson, announced today
that the State of Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic
Development (”Department”) has selected Pearson VUE to develop and
administer licensing exams for Alaska mortgage brokers and loan
originators. The contract was awarded following a competitive bidding
process in April and was signed in May.

Alaska joins the growing trend of states requiring a licensure exam for
the mortgage profession, becoming the ninth state to do so. Currently,
Pearson VUE has contracts with six of these states, including Alaska,
making it the leading provider of licensure exams for mortgage lenders,
brokers, and loan originators.

“Recent events in the mortgage industry have made the examination
program a necessity,” said Mark Davis, Director of the Division of
Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing. “To better protect home
buyers, it was essential for our State to contract with a reliable vendor
with a proven reputation. Pearson VUE, who has successfully administered
our Department’s insurance licensure program for almost 20 years, fit this
description perfectly.”

Pearson VUE is responsible for original exam development and electronic
administration throughout their test center network. Once testing begins in
July, the Department can expect an exam that is a fair and accurate
assessment of all relevant statutes and procedures related to mortgage
brokers and loan originators in Alaska. Additionally, candidates will
benefit from such features as 24/7 exam registration through the Web;
toll-free telephone support (available during business hours in Alaska’s
time zone); a helpful candidate handbook; immediate, on-site score results,
and convenient test center locations.

Pearson VUE operates three test centers within the State that are
augmented by “petition testing sites.” Unique to Alaska, petition testing
consists of a network of sites mutually identified by Pearson VUE and the
State, offering exam administration in remote parts of Alaska at identified
peak times. This arrangement has already met success in Pearson VUE’s
administration of the Alaska insurance and real estate licensure programs.

Art Valentine, vice president of professional services and general
manager of regulatory services at Pearson VUE said, “Our proposed solutions
meet all of the State’s requirements for convenience, security, exam
development, and most importantly, consumer protection. The Department can
now look forward to a smooth implementation, flawless service delivery, and
unparalleled customer support.”

Robert Whelan, president of Pearson VUE said, “The State of Alaska’s
Department of Commerce has entrusted us with a serious responsibility in
developing this critical examination program. Our plan is to not only build
the program, but to also build a genuine partnership with the Department;
working together, we will ensure their licensure program is a success and
that all constituents are completely satisfied.”

In related news, the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and
Economic Development also announced today that its Division of Insurance
(”Division”) has renewed its contract with Pearson VUE for the development
and administration of the State’s insurance licensure examination program.
The Division awarded Pearson VUE the contract through a separate
competitive bid process issued in April. This renewal extends Pearson VUE’s
partnership with the Division, which began in 1990, for up to five
additional years.

About Pearson VUE

Pearson VUE (http://www.pearsonvue.com) is the global leader in
electronic testing for regulatory and certification boards, providing a
full suite of services from test development to test delivery to data
management. Pearson VUE offers exams through the world’s largest network of
test centers in 162 countries, providing testing services for information
technology, academic, government and professional clients. Pearson VUE
acquired the former Promissor in 2006, thereby extending its leadership in
the certification market. The company’s innovative technology offers the
highest levels of security and program control, while its commitment to
service provides clients and individual test takers with an unmatched
testing experience.

Pearson VUE is a business of Pearson (NYSE: PSO; LSE: PSON), the
international media company, whose businesses include the Financial Times
Group, Pearson Education, and the Penguin Group.



See Also

• Preferred Bank Clarifies Loan Portfolio Information
• Getting Personal With Unique Real Estate Agent Search Technology From PinpointAgent.com
• Stone Age Manufacturing Greets the New Season with Expanded Photo Gallery of Outdoor Kitchens and Other Website Features

Source: Real Estate Newswire