Dr. Sassan Kimiavi founded Paragon in 1997 and was joined by Gazelle Hashemian in 2001. Paragon was certified as a Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) and 8(a) business, was awarded a GSA IT-70 federal contract, and developed a market strategy centered on the Government initiatives for excellence in Government and Government accountability/Governance.
In 2002, Paragon established five major Practice areas: IT Governance and PMO support, Business Intelligence, Financial Management Services, Quality management / IV&V, and Enterprise Modernization/Transformation. Paragon has been on the frontline of Government Transformation, reshaping the way government agencies look at management consulting as a partner in their transformation efforts.
Paragon has developed repeatable methodologies, tools, and processes to provide IT Governance planning, policy, Portfolio Management, and Project/Program Maturity Assessment to any organization. These were based on their years of experience working with private sector CIOs, that selecting the right IT investment and managing these investments successfully was the hardest part of the CIO’s job. IT Governance/PMO practice uses methodologies and processes that can allow organizations as large and complex as Department of Treasury manage their $3 billion portfolio in a structured manner. This structure, conforming with Clinger- Cohen Act/ OMB guidelines, provides the CIO the form and function to operate at the tactical level.
Dr. Kimiavi and Ms. Hashemian, as first generation immigrants to the US, left their home country during political turmoil and faced obstacles such as learning a new language and a new culture on top of the formidable ones that exist for every new business. They responded by building a nationally recognized corporation and a top-caliber team, recruiting the best and the brightest, empowering them to achieve in the belief that performance in the end will outweigh any other barriers or obstacles. With no contacts in the Government or alliances with large Government integrators, they established a company that has become a leader in the Government professional services industry. The company has become a success through perseverance, persistency, and drive to line up partners and establish relationships within the targeted agencies.
Paragon has grown over 10 folds since 2004, managed organically and without any institutional funding, earning it an award as one of the Top Businesses of the Year by Minority Business magazine. Employees are encouraged to contribute beyond their position in the company, and new and innovative approaches to corporate and customer problems are openly solicited. The company strives to identify young achievers, assigning them more seasoned professionals to work with and to mentor them in the company and in the business of professional services.
Ms. Hashemian, as an active member of the Women In Technology (WIT) Special Interest Group, helps new female entrepreneurs as well as Women-in-Government. Paragon’s favorite charities include Doctors Without Borders, Relief International, Save Darfur, Innocence at Risk, St. Jude Hospital, and NIH’s Children Inn.