ECI Software Solutions has appointed Ron Books as Chief Executive Officer, returning him to the role as Trevor Gruenewald steps down and remains on the board.
Books led ECI from 2009 to 2021 and later served as a Special Advisor to its Board of Directors. Most recently, he was Chief Executive Officer of healthcare technology company Net Health, where he will continue as Executive Chairman.
Gruenewald is retiring from the top executive role after 18 years at ECI, including nearly six years as Chief Executive Officer. He will remain involved in the company's strategic direction as a board member and will work with Books and the leadership team during the handover.
During Gruenewald's tenure, ECI expanded from a domestic software provider into a global business serving 25,000 customers in more than 90 countries. It also completed more than 26 acquisitions across its core markets and expanded its presence across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
The leadership change brings back a long-serving executive as ECI maintains its current strategy and investment priorities. Those include software for small and mid-sized businesses in manufacturing, building and construction, field service and distribution.
Gruenewald said the move followed a personal and professional decision.
"Leading ECI has been one of the greatest privileges of my career, and I am incredibly proud of what this team has built together. ECI is in a position of tremendous strength, with the right strategy, people, and technology designed to help small and mid-sized businesses compete and grow. As I considered what was right for both my family and ECI's next chapter, it felt like the right time to make this transition. I'm thrilled that Ron has agreed to return, and I look forward to working alongside him as a member of the Board," Gruenewald said.
Board members and investors described the move as the return of a familiar leader with deep ties to the business.
"It has been a privilege to partner with Trevor, who built ECI into a global leader in mission-critical software for small and mid-sized businesses. We thank him for his leadership and are pleased he will continue to guide ECI as a board member," said Usama Cortas, ECI Board Member and Partner at Leonard Green & Partners.
"We are equally excited to welcome Ron back as CEO. Ron led ECI through its formative years and knows its customers, people, and markets deeply. He is a proven leader with the vision to further strengthen ECI's position in its markets, and we are confident he and the management team will build on ECI's momentum and continue to accelerate its growth in this next chapter," Cortas said.
Jason Wright, another ECI Board Member and Partner at Apax Partners, pointed to Books' earlier stint leading the company.
"We're thrilled to have Ron back as CEO of ECI. Apax backed Ron in 2017 to lead a transformation of the company. He tripled the size of the business and led ECI's transition to the cloud," Wright said.
"Now he is poised to lead ECI to become the global leader in AI-powered ERP and business management software for small and mid-sized businesses. We're looking forward to continuing to work with Trevor in his board capacity and thank him for his hugely successful tenure at the helm of ECI," he said.
Return to ECI
Books first joined ECI in 1999. His return means the company is again being led by an executive with nearly three decades of history with the business, its customers and the sectors it serves.
That continuity is central to ECI's message around the handover. Books will continue the company's current strategy, including investment in cloud-based and AI-focused software for small and mid-sized businesses.
Books said his focus would be on building on the company's recent growth.
"ECI has been an important part of my life for nearly three decades, and I couldn't be more excited to return as CEO. Trevor has done an exceptional job leading ECI through a period of tremendous growth and transformation, and I'm grateful for the foundation he and the team have built. I know this company, its customers and its people deeply, and my focus will be on building on that momentum as we continue investing in the technology that helps our customers run better businesses," Books said.
ECI is headquartered in Westlake, Texas, and has offices across the United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Sweden and Australia. It says it has more than 30 years of operating history and serves customers in more than 90 countries.