Stepping into the CEO role at Paragon comes at an interesting moment, both for our company and for the building components industry as a whole.
Paragon recently turned ten years old. In software, especially software aimed at a domain as technically demanding as structural components, most of the work in the early years happens well before the market ever sees the product. That was us for a long time. But, the last two years have been different. We’ve moved out of the build-it phase and into growth — and growth asks different things of a company than development does. This leadership transition is how we’re answering those questions.
My role as CEO is primarily outward-facing for growth, partnerships, and helping more of the industry benefit from what we’re building. John Holland’s role as President and CTO will stay focused where his strengths have always been most powerful: the product, the software engineering team, and the technical work that has defined Paragon from day one. This is not a change of direction, but rather a sharpening of it.
The timing matters because the building components industry is in the middle of change. Component manufacturers are wrestling with practical questions about labor, margin, succession, and how fast to adopt new technology. The answers individual companies land on will shape the next decade of this industry significantly.
Component design and manufacturing software is getting genuinely more capable. AI is advancing quickly. Workflows that used to live in separate silos are starting to connect. The manufacturers willing to adapt have a real chance to improve how structural components are designed, built, and delivered — all on their own terms.
Before Paragon, I spent years running a lumber and building materials business. I know what it’s like to operate in a market where relationships carry weight, margins are tight, and every operational decision lands on somebody’s truck or jobsite. That experience shapes how I think about software now. Our goal isn't to sell software, but rather help our customers run stronger businesses. Technology earns its keep when it sharpens decisions, frees up people, and makes the business more efficient, not when it adds another login to somebody’s morning.
This lens shapes how I think about growth. Growth is about stronger partnerships with the manufacturers we work with, a deeper ability to help them navigate what’s changing, and a wider sense of what’s possible for their operations. I’d argue trust gets more important as technology gets faster.
Partnership is going to be central to Paragon’s next phase — partnerships both with our customers and across the wider ecosystem of people who care about moving this industry forward. The best outcomes in any business come from people with complementary strengths pulling in the same direction.
We have an exceptional team. We have a platform built for a moment when agility matters. And we’re operating in a period where the technology underneath our industry is shifting in ways that will reshape what’s possible. John’s transition gives him room to go deeper on the technical side, particularly as AI starts to change what software can do for a component manufacturer. Mine gives me room to focus on making sure the value of that work reaches more of the industry.
Both roles matter and both are needed. Put together, they position Paragon well for what’s next.
What truly excites me most about this transition is the expanded capacity for connection and collaboration we now have. As we look ahead, we are committed to forging stronger ties, not just through our products, but through direct conversation.
Part of that effort is seen by our interview video series, The Common Chord. This platform is designed to connect with our peers and customers across the industry, inviting dialogue and shared learning. We are genuinely looking forward to partnering together with other leaders and innovators across the wider ecosystem to understand, discuss, and ultimately create innovative solutions to the biggest challenges component manufacturers face, from labor and technology adoption to margin pressures. This is an industry defined by relationships, and by working alongside those who care about moving this industry forward, we can ensure that Paragon’s work is constantly grounded in real-world needs.
Paragon was founded with a clear goal: to bring greater openness, flexibility, and capability to the design and manufacturing of structural building components. The industry is moving toward better tools, more connected workflows, and more intelligent features, with rising expectations around speed, collaboration, and transparency. We’re building to meet that. There’s a great deal ahead: for Paragon, for our customers, and for this industry. In a lot of ways, we’re just getting started.