Paradigm Digital Group names Mike Curts chief marketing officer

By AI, Created 9:41 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Paradigm Digital Group promoted Mike Curts to chief marketing officer effective April 22, 2026, as the Fishers, Indiana-based firm shifts into its next phase of growth. The leadership change follows the company’s first PDG Connect 2026 Summit and comes as Paradigm expands its focus on education, skilled trades and transportation marketing.

Why it matters: - Paradigm Digital Group is elevating a longtime growth leader as it pushes deeper into education, skilled trades and transportation marketing. - The leadership change signals a move from a traditional agency model toward a more digital, analytics-driven strategy. - The transition comes as Paradigm aims for national growth after 38 years in business.

What happened: - Paradigm Digital Group named Mike Curts chief marketing officer, effective April 22, 2026. - Deb Rishel, Paradigm Digital Group president and co-founder, announced the move at the close of the company’s first PDG Connect 2026 Summit. - Curts succeeds co-founder Bob Newman. - The announcement came from Fishers, Indiana, where Paradigm Digital Group is based.

The details: - Curts worked with Paradigm Digital Group as a client for more than eight years before joining the company full time in 2015. - Curts has spent more than a decade helping education and transportation organizations compete and grow in a digital environment. - Curts was among the first marketers in Indiana to earn Google certifications, reflecting an early focus on performance-driven marketing. - Under Curts’ leadership, Paradigm Digital Group moved from a print, television and website-focused agency into a digital marketing firm. - Paradigm Digital Group now serves trade schools, technical colleges, CDL training providers and transportation organizations nationwide. - The company says its work now supports more than 75 institutions across the United States. - As chief marketing officer, Curts will oversee strategic vision, innovation initiatives and client growth strategy. - The company says Curts will reinforce Paradigm Digital Group’s position in marketing for education, skilled trades and transportation organizations. - The PDG Connect 2026 Summit was a client-focused event centered on the future of skilled trades and workforce marketing.

Between the lines: - Rishel framed the promotion as both a succession plan and a way to accelerate momentum. - Newman called Curts a strong strategist and mentor, underscoring internal continuity in the leadership handoff. - Paradigm Digital Group is emphasizing emerging platforms, automation and AI-driven optimization as part of its growth strategy. - The timing immediately after the summit suggests the company wants to tie leadership change to its thought-leadership push. - The transition reflects a broader bet that workforce development and transportation marketing will keep shifting toward measurable digital performance.

What’s next: - Curts is expected to guide Paradigm Digital Group’s next phase of innovation and growth. - The company is positioning itself for continued expansion and more measurable client outcomes. - Paradigm Digital Group will likely keep leaning into digital-first services for schools and workforce organizations.

The bottom line: - Paradigm Digital Group is betting that Curts’ digital background and long relationship with the company will help drive its next stage of national growth.