ECI Software Solutions Inc. has announced the appointment of Ron Books as chief executive officer, effective Oct. 26, 2026. Books, who previously served as ECI's CEO from 2009 to 2021, returns to lead the company as Trevor Gruenewald retires from the CEO role and remains on ECI's board of directors.

Gruenewald's transition follows 18 years with ECI, including nearly six years as CEO. During his tenure, ECI grew from a domestic software provider into a global company serving 25,000 customers across more than 90 countries. He helped lead the company's expansion across North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific, oversaw more than 26 acquisitions spanning ECI's core industries, and advanced investments in cloud technology, AI and an increasingly connected portfolio of industry-specific solutions.

"Leading ECI has been one of the greatest privileges of my career, and I am incredibly proud of what this team has built together," Gruenewald said. "ECI is in a position of tremendous strength, with the right strategy, people and technology designed to help small and mid-sized businesses compete and grow. As I considered what was right for both my family and ECI's next chapter, it felt like the right time to make this transition. I'm thrilled that Ron has agreed to return, and I look forward to working alongside him as a member of the board."

"It has been a privilege to partner with Trevor, who built ECI into a global leader in mission-critical software for small and mid-sized businesses," said Usama Cortas, board member, ECI, and partner, Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. "We thank him for his leadership and are pleased he will continue to guide ECI as a board member. We are equally excited to welcome Ron back as CEO. Ron led ECI through its formative years and knows its customers, people and markets deeply. He is a proven leader with the vision to further strengthen ECI's position in its markets, and we are confident he and the management team will build on ECI's momentum and continue to accelerate its growth in this next chapter."

"We're thrilled to have Ron back as CEO of ECI," said Jason Wright, board member, ECI, and partner, Apax Partners. "Apax backed Ron in 2017 to lead a transformation of the company. He tripled the size of the business and led ECI's transition to the cloud. Now he is poised to lead ECI to become the global leader in AI-powered ERP and business management software for small and mid-sized businesses. We're looking forward to continuing to work with Trevor in his board capacity and thank him for his hugely successful tenure at the helm of ECI."

Books originally joined ECI in 1999 and served as CEO from 2009 to 2021. Since leaving the CEO role, he has remained connected to ECI as a special advisor to its board of directors. Most recently, Books served as CEO of Net Health, a health-care technology company, where he will continue to serve as executive chairman.

"ECI has been an important part of my life for nearly three decades, and I couldn't be more excited to return as CEO," Books said. "Trevor has done an exceptional job leading ECI through a period of tremendous growth and transformation, and I'm grateful for the foundation he and the team have built. I know this company, its customers and its people deeply, and my focus will be on building on that momentum as we continue investing in the technology that helps our customers run better businesses."

As CEO, Books will continue to advance ECI's existing strategy and investment priorities, including its focus on delivering AI-powered, cloud-based software that gives small and mid-sized businesses the technology they need to compete with far larger rivals. Gruenewald will remain actively involved in ECI's strategic direction as a member of the board of directors and will work closely with Books and the leadership team through the transition.