Paragon was founded in 1997 by brothers Craig and Joel Jackman to change how search firms and clients interacted. With an entrepreneurial background and an innovative spirit, Craig and Joel set out to be more than just a service provider. They wanted to be a valued partner to their clients — helping them get the right people in the right roles, which in turn benefited each clients’ strategic initiatives. With two phones, a phonebook, and a fax machine and a whole lot of tenacity, they started Paragon with the mission to create a great company where people could thrive, love their work and make a meaningful contribution.
Today, Paragon is deeply connected to IT communities throughout the Midwest. Providing exceptional resources locally, nationally and internationally, we have enjoyed delivering success to organizations while leveraging our renowned experience, speed to market and industry knowledge. Headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, our presence includes hundreds of consultants in multiple states, as well as global partnerships, providing the best talent and solutions for our clients’ needs.
Because of the deep commitment to nurturing the future of the industry, the IT Leadership Forum was founded in 2010 to support investment in talent. Through the IT Leadership Forum, our clients strengthen their leadership culture — leading to improved attraction, engagement and retention of the best people. Paragon is also an active member in technology association leadership initiatives. A passion of Paragon is looking to help resolve the challenge of a constrained IT workforce by investing in students’ education and opportunities. We are proud of our 501c3 scholarship fund, and believe deeply in creating opportunities for future change agents and leaders.
