[citation needed] The software company was founded in the late 1980s by Larry Allen when he created collaborative seminary training programs.
Working with Reda Athanasios, Stein, buoyed by his experience founding a computer-based service company, played the largest role in turning the early software company into Convene International.
As part of its transformation, the company began offering asynchronous distance learning software in Windows (instead of DOS) and eventually added 24/7 phone tech support.
The first major client to offer the service was the University of Phoenix online campus, then in its fledgling years.
In 2002, the Learning Technology Partners, a similar company, bought Convene in 2012 for an undisclosed sum.