Shawn Gundrum has led CATHEXIS through a period of significant transformation, doubling the company’s size and expanding its capabilities. Following the integration of Paradyme, Gundrum has helped reposition CATHEXIS from a traditional services provider into a more solutions- and AI-driven organization, while prioritizing operational alignment, unifying teams and culture.
Gundrum, CEO of CATHEXIS, is a finalist for the Chief Officer Awards’ Private CEO of the Year (Annual Revenue Less than $100M). The event takes place live June 2.
Here, he discusses CATHEXIS’ recent transformation, his priorities for driving mission-focused innovation, and the leadership mindset that has shaped his career.
What key achievements did you have in 2025/2026?
The last two years have been transformational for CATHEXIS. We completed the integration of Paradyme, which doubled the size of the company and significantly expanded our capabilities in AI, cloud engineering, data, and enterprise modernization.
At the same time, we accelerated our shift from a traditional services company toward a more solutions- and AI-driven organization. We launched CATHEXIS Labs, introduced new AI accelerators and SaaS-oriented offerings, and established CATHEXIS Technology Services Center to formalize how we scale and support technology delivery across the company.
Just as important, we focused heavily on operational alignment. We brought together two companies with distinct brands, cultures, and ways of working, and intentionally built one identity and set of values both teams could see themselves in. That work has been critical to employee engagement, culture, and how we operate as one company.
What are your primary focus areas going forward, and why are those so important to the mission?
Federal agencies are under pressure to move faster, operate more efficiently, and deliver better outcomes in a rapidly changing environment. Our focus is helping them do that in practical ways that improve mission execution.
We’re continuing to invest heavily in AI, automation, data platforms, and mission-focused SaaS solutions, particularly in areas like fraud detection, operational analytics, workflow modernization, and decision support. We’re also building the internal infrastructure needed to scale that work effectively – strengthening delivery operations, improving readiness, developing repeatable accelerators, and continuing to invest in our people and leadership culture.
Long term, the organizations that win will be the ones that combine technical capability with speed, accountability, and strong teams – and that’s what we’re working to do here.
What is your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Keep grinding. There’s no substitute for consistency, resilience, and putting in the work over time.
I think people sometimes expect careers to move in a straight line, but they don’t. You’re going to deal with setbacks, uncertainty, failures, and periods where things feel harder than they should. That’s part of it.
The biggest thing is to stay adaptable, keep learning, and don’t lose perspective when things get difficult. Most meaningful things take longer to build than people expect.
