Board of Advisors

Scott Paul was CEO of Wooly, a platform for word-of-mouth commerce. Prior to Wooly, Scott was VP of Product at Disney after his startup company was purchased by Maker Studios (Disney) in 2015. He was also an advisor to Scan that sold to Snapchat that same year. In 2014, Scott exited his first company called ArmorActive, which produced hardware for tablets such as the iPad. He is also an angel investor with deals in more than 40 Utah companies including Neighbor, Prenda, Freeplay, Volley, and Nomi Health.

RJ is the CEO of the Global Roofing Group; one of the USA’s largest industrial and commercial roofing contractors. Founded in 1971, the Global Roofing Group employs over 500 people and has over 1000 sub-contractor laborers, with over 100 million square feet of roofing installed since inception, helping protect over $42 billion dollars in assets. He started with GRG in 2005, and helped navigate the financial crisis (2008/2009), Covid pandemic (2020), material shortage crisis (2021/2022), and played a large part in recovery and growth before becoming CEO in 2022. This pathway was what lead him to have a deep understanding of the market dynamics, the macro environment, the competition, business challenges/opportunities, and the unique customer and regulatory needs of our various business units.

Prior to his role at Quansight Initiate, Blair’s illustrious career spanned various industries and roles, highlighting his versatility and entrepreneurial spirit. He has been an influential advisor and board member for multiple organizations, contributing significantly to sectors ranging from healthcare technology to education and transportation. His academic involvement as a Professor at the University of Utah, and his leadership in various companies reflect his commitment to both education and practical business applications. Blair’s diverse professional journey underscores his ability to adapt and excel in dynamic environments, making him a key player in the evolving landscape of open source technology and venture capital.

Scott Abbott’s professional background encompasses a variety of roles across different sectors. He is a co-founder and former CEO of Five Star Painting, where he established a solid foundation for the business and contributed to its growth. In addition to this, he holds the position of Managing Partner at Canuck Ventures and owns Pocomos. His experience extends to being a board member at ProNexis and founding Franchise Foundry. Additionally, Abbott has engaged in angel investing with Unidigm and served as the Director of Marketing at BDO Dunwoody LLP. These positions reflect a broad spectrum of expertise in business development, marketing, and strategic investment.

Previously, Soldan has occupied several significant roles in various organizations, contributing to his broad expertise in the field. He was the CEO and Director at Eftsure, a position that entailed leadership and strategic decision-making. At the University of Utah, he served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Operations and Information Systems, where he combined academic knowledge with practical applications. As the Senior VP and General Manager of Business Services at RealPage Inc, his responsibilities included managing and overseeing business services. His tenure as CEO at Slingshot Technology Inc provided him with experience in leading a technology company. At Oracle, he held the role of Group VP for North America Cloud Application Delivery, focusing on cloud technology initiatives. His experience in operations was further solidified as the Executive VP of Operations at HealthEquity and as COO at Entrata.

Hansen’s professional background includes a variety of significant roles across different sectors. Prior to his current position, he served as President & CEO of the World Trade Center Utah, where he was involved in promoting international trade and economic development. As Chairman of the Board for the Utah Inland Port Authority, he played a key role in overseeing the organization’s direction and strategy. His experience also extends to government service, where he worked at The White House as the Director for Gulf Affairs at the National Security Council and at the U.S. Department of State in various capacities, including Staff Aide to the Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs, Political and Economic Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Yerevan, and Iran Watcher at the U.S. Consulate General in Dubai. Additionally, Hansen was a Special Assistant in the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Utah and started his career as a Junior Consultant.