Bluebeam Inc., leading developer of innovative technology solutions for the architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) industries, announces the appointment of Chief Technical Officer Don Jacob as interim Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. Jacob succeeds Richard Lee, who co-founded the company in 2002 and remained CEO following the company’s acquisition by Nemetschek SE in 2014. After remaining at Bluebeam for the last two years to ensure the company's continued success, Lee has exited as part of a transition designed to unlock the next level of investment and innovation for the company.
Jacob provided technology leadership at Bluebeam from the company’s inception, and has played a primary role in the evolution of the company’s AEC-focused solutions from their first release, Push Button PDF, to the more recent introduction of the cloud-based collaboration subscription solution, Studio Prime. His twenty-five years of software development experience, combined with his consummate knowledge of Bluebeam’s industry position and culture, have established Jacob as a natural choice for interim CEO. Jacob will retain his position as CTO during the transition period.
"I would like to thank Rich for his outstanding dedication and success developing Bluebeam into the collaborative, creative and growing organization it is today," says Sean Flaherty, Chairman of the Board of Directors. "Bluebeam is one of the strongest brands in the Nemetschek Group portfolio due to the collaborative, symbiotic relationship they have built with their customers, and we support the continued direction, growth and future technological development of the company. We have full confidence in CTO and interim CEO Don Jacob to pilot the company through this transition period.”
"From the very beginning, Bluebeam was built with one goal in mind: to democratize technology in the AEC industry,” says Jacob. “With Bluebeam’s solutions, firms of every size have access to the tools and solutions they need to level the playing field and compete on the strengths of their ideas, not on the size of their budgets. Bluebeam actively listens to our customers, and partners with them to create a space where they can innovate, collaborate and think differently about how they can approach their work. It has been a wonderful journey building this incredible culture with Rich these past 15 years. On behalf of myself and the entire company, we'd like to thank him for inspiring us with his vision, challenging us with his creativity, and building momentum that is truly without limits."
Prior to joining Bluebeam, Jacob was Director of Software Engineering at PETsMART.com, and developed software at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in support of the Mechanical Engineering Division and Deep Space Network initiative. Jacob has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from California State University, Northridge and an MBA from Pepperdine University.
The Bluebeam executive team will remain in place. The Board of Directors intends to commence a search for a permanent Chief Executive Officer immediately, and will consider both internal and external candidates.
