Former Education Secretary Launches Online-Purchasing Business

By Mark Walsh

Former U.S. Secretary of Education and two-time presidential candidate Lamar Alexander threw his hat into a different kind of ring last week: He launched a company designed to allow educators to procure school supplies and services over the Internet.

Mr. Alexander is a founder and the chairman of Simplexis.com, a World Wide Web-based venture with a goal of making purchasing cheaper and easier for schools and their suppliers.

"Most school business officials feel trapped in an antiquated procurement system that wastes their time and the taxpayers' money," he said in an interview. "We're going to help schools use the Internet to save money, whether they are buying frogs for biology class or...