Paragon investigations Leadership Team

Doug Steele

President

Doug Steele joined Paragon parent company, SCIS, in November 2014 as Vice President of Investigations and Business Development with the objective of building a new business sector. Mr. Steele is responsible for Paragon Investigations’ offerings to complement the company’s other commercial and government service lines. His background includes over 20 years of experience in the personnel investigations and personnel security arena, including senior operational, strategic, and business leadership positions in both the federal and private sectors.

Prior to joining SCIS, Mr. Steele served as Principal and Managing Director of multiple nationwide federal investigations and inspections programs while focusing on productivity, policy, quality assurance, integrity, and new technology solutions. He previously served as a senior member of the government’s policy arm charged with drafting policy, executive orders, and federal regulations impacting personnel security and investigative standards.

Mr. Steele’s work also included design and implementation of Integrity Assurance protocols governing the background investigations and personnel security framework within government. A native of New York, he is a Six Sigma Black Belt and a recipient of the Innovation in Leadership certificate from MIT’s Sloan School of Management. Mr. Steele is a member of numerous professional associations in the personnel security space. He graduated from the University of Richmond with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in International Relations and Economics and also attended The American University in Washington, DC.

Heather Overton

Director, Operations And Compliance

Heather Overton brings a wealth of personnel security and background investigations experience to her position as Director, Operations and Compliance with Paragon Investigations.

In addition to her 19+ years of experience supporting and leading a wide spectrum of personnel security contracts, Ms. Overton has depth in building, coordinating, recruiting, training, and managing front and back office programs. Her strong operational and business development orientation includes supporting major contracts from prospecting to implementation.

Ms. Overton has extensive Field Investigator, Quality Control, Integrity Assurance and Management experience, having served in various leadership roles on several background investigations contracts. Her responsibilities include chief oversight of all Quality Assurance, Training and Development, and Integrity Programs.

Ms. Overton has a long and successful track record of managing dynamic and evolving personnel security programs to deliver performance excellence. She is a native of Chicago and graduated from Radford University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice.

Jaime Benfer

National Business Integration Manager

Jaime Benfer joined the organization in February 2017, working in the Central Region Field Leadership before moving into her current role of National Business Integration Manager (NBIM). She is involved in business development and the integration of new contracts into the program. She serves as the Paragon representative with the majority of our small business partners and is involved in a myriad of special projects throughout the Investigations Sector. Ms. Benfer oversees the Independent Contractor force on the non-DCSA investigations contracts.

Ms. Benfer began her career in the BI industry in 2002 as an Investigator in Harrisburg, PA. She was a Field Team Leader for a decade, managing teams in nine different states over the years. Ms. Benfer is a graduate of Kutztown University and a native of Southeast Pennsylvania.

Andy Crouse

Quality Assurance Manager

Andy Crouse joined as Quality Control Manager (QCM) and was since promoted to Quality Assurance Manager (QAM). He is responsible for every aspect of Case Review Operations, the Field Liaison Help Team, and Internal Records Team. These three teams are located primarily in western Pennsylvania and are focused on exceeding customer requirements to include both the highest level of quality but also the strict timeliness guidelines of the contract. One of the top priorities for Mr. Crouse and the teams he oversees is fostering and maintaining a strong and supportive relationship with their coworkers in the field.

Mr. Crouse began his career in the personnel security investigations industry over 15 years ago as a Case Reviewer in Boyers, PA. He has served in several leadership positions since that time, including Case Review Manager, Director of Review Operations, and QCM.

Zoran Jurkin

National Quality Field Manager

Zoran Jurkin was as a Field Team Leader within the Eastern Region before moving into his current role of National Quality Field Manager (NQFM) in May 2018. Mr. Jurkin is responsible for leveraging data analytics, process efficiencies, and tools and technology platforms to drive overall field quality performance. With a national scope in mind, Mr. Jurkin works closely with the Field, Training, and Review functions to ensure the Reports of Investigation (ROIs) consistently meet high quality standards to exceed customer, business, and Investigations Program expectations. Mr. Jurkin also leads a team of Regional Mentors whose mission is to improve performance and efficiencies.

Mr. Jurkin began his career in the personnel security investigations industry over 17 years ago as an Investigator working in northern New Jersey. He has served in multiple Field, Training, and Leadership capacities throughout the years.

Mike Reynolds

Director Of Security

Mike Reynolds joined the Investigations team as the Integrity Assurance (IA) Officer. In this position, he was responsible for establishing and leading the IA Department, which includes IA, Retention, Record Validations, and Inspections. Mr. Reynolds is currently the Director of Security for Paragon Investigations. He leads all aspects of personnel security for the Investigations Program as well as oversees its IA Department.

Mr. Reynolds began his career in the personnel security investigations industry in 2000 as a Case Reviewer. He has served in several other capacities since that time, including Quality Control Officer (QCO), Team Leader (TL), and various other management positions.