Paul Minton believes in the vital role businesses play in improving global standards of living. Having recently transitioned from his full-time executive role, he is now looking forward to serving as a Seed Coach.

Paul’s four-decade career encompasses leadership in top management, board governance, and advisory roles. In February 2024, he was elected executive chairman of California Eastern Laboratories, an employee-owned technology company where he previously served as CEO for 20 years. Under his leadership, CEL — specializing in semiconductors and subsystems for wireless and optical communications — achieved a 14% compound annual growth rate for shareholders. Much of this success can be attributed to Paul’s global approach, with over 100 international trips to meet CEL’s customers and suppliers. In addition to his role as executive chairman, Paul has been a member of CEL’s board of directors since 2001, where he currently chairs the nominating committee and serves on the audit and executive compensation committees.

Since 2016, Paul has also served as the non-executive chairman of the board for TDIndustries, having joined the board in 2014. He was drawn to TD’s company culture, which has earned a spot on Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Places to Work” list for more than 25 consecutive years. Like CEL, TDIndustries is built on a foundation of servant leadership, employee ownership, and a commitment to being a preferred employer. Both companies are 100% owned by current and former employees, a model Paul is passionate about.

In addition to his executive roles, Paul co-founded two companies and spent 10 years as a consultant, guiding strategy for Global 1000 firms such as Cisco, Seagate, Hormel, and Toshiba, as well as smaller niche companies. He also taught strategic planning in executive education courses for seven years as a part-time instructor.

Since 2022, Paul has served as a trustee of The Conference Board’s Committee for Economic Development, a non-partisan public policy think tank. He is a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors and previously served on the national advisory committee for the University of Michigan College of Engineering.

Paul holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in economics from Stanford University.