Karen Paulson has become the new president of Paulson Training Program Inc., the family-owned company that makes interactive plastics training courses, offers e-learning programs and conducts seminars.
She is the youngest of five children. Their father, Donald Paulson, started the company in 1977.
Normally, being the youngest means fending for yourself and being dismissed as the baby. But even as a young child, Karen Paulson was the family member everyone turned to for information and direction, according to the company. She was organized and had a get-it-done attitude.
When outgoing Paulson Training President Craig Paulson needed a successor, he named his youngest sister, Karen. Paulson Training is owned by Donald Paulson and four of his children: Karen Paulson, Craig Paulson, Chuck Paulson and Scott Paulson.
Karen Paulson becomes the first woman president of Paulson Training, a pioneer in the field. She graduated summa cum laude from Quinnipiac College, with a double major in math and computer science. Then she began her professional career in the graphics department of Paulson Training, where she created animations and developed the study guides for the company's interactive lessons.
Since then, Paulson has worked in every facet of the company, from accounting to technical support to office management to, most recently, product and content developer using specialized software to build the interactive training lessons.
Her goal is to continue improving Paulson's courses by exploring the latest available technologies.
"The mission statement, in my mind, for Paulson is to serve the plastics processor by providing them with superior scientific training delivered anytime, anywhere, on any device — essentially making training convenient for individuals and their employer," Paulson said.
Chester, Conn.-based Paulson Training has recently updated its lab lesson platform called SkillBuilder, and is launching the latest version of SimTech, the company's proprietary injection molding simulator.
Scott Paulson remains as the company's director of business and product development.
Paulson Training programs are used by thousands of plastics processors and more than a hundred colleges and universities around the world.
