Bearhug Recruiting, a boutique executive search firm for venture-backed technology companies, is proud to announce the successful placement of Joel LeBlanc as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at TraceAir, the construction technology platform transforming land development and homebuilding operations with drone data and AI-powered insights.
“With Joel, TraceAir gains a proven operator who has repeatedly scaled businesses from tens of millions to hundreds of millions in revenue,” said Kraig Ward, Managing Director at Bearhug Recruiting. “His track record in strategy deployment, performance-based cultures, and operational excellence is exactly what TraceAir needs as it transitions from a single-product company to a multi-product platform.”
TraceAir’s CEO Ivan Lvov added: “Joel understands the complexity of scaling both people and systems, and he does it without losing sight of culture. He’s already demonstrating how to balance aggressive growth with capital efficiency — a rare skill set in our space. We’re excited to have him leading this next phase as we expand our platform, strengthen customer delivery, and prepare for future growth opportunities.”
Joel brings more than two decades of global leadership experience in scaling technology and industrial organizations. He has a proven track record of driving growth and operational excellence—helping Zeitview increase revenues sixfold by expanding operations into 50+ countries, leading Vestas’ global expansion of the Parts and Repair division from ~$200M to ~$350M annually, and growing Celerity’s Oregon division from ~$6M to over $100M. Earlier in his career at Air Liquide, he built and managed a ~$50M P&L across the U.S. and Asia.
Throughout his career, Joel has consistently delivered results by enhancing operational efficiency, improving workforce productivity, implementing ISO-certified management systems, and successfully leading geographically dispersed teams.
“I was immediately drawn to TraceAir’s mission to modernize one of the world’s largest and most essential industries,” said Joel. “The platform has already proven its value with the top homebuilders in North America, and the growth potential is enormous. I’m eager to help the team scale — while building a culture that delivers both performance and purpose.”
In his new role, Joel will oversee global operations, customer success, product delivery, as well as, people and culture. He will partner closely with the CEO and the Board to guide TraceAir through its next stage of growth. He will play a critical role in scaling revenue, diversifying the product portfolio, and preparing the company for future capital raises and potential strategic outcomes. His appointment comes at a time when TraceAir is experiencing record adoption, expanding its enterprise offerings, and deepening partnerships with the nation’s largest homebuilders.
This placement marks a pivotal milestone for TraceAir as it accelerates its enterprise offerings, and solidifies its position as the category leader in construction automation technology.
About TraceAir
TraceAir is the enterprise software platform modernizing land development and construction with drone data and AI-powered workflows. By integrating site scans, topographic data, and project analytics into a single turnkey solution, TraceAir enables homebuilders and land developers to make faster, smarter, data-driven decisions. With nearly 300 active customers across North America and a global team of 170+ spanning the U.S., Armenia, and Spain, TraceAir is reimagining how the built environment gets created. Backed by PeakSpan Capital and other strategic investors, TraceAir is helping accelerate technology adoption in one of the world’s largest industries.
About Bearhug Recruiting
Bearhug Recruiting is a boutique executive search firm and trusted partner to early- and growth-stage Environmental Technology and Enterprise Software startups scaling from $1M to $100M+. We believe competitive advantage is a who, not a what — and that great talent is the ultimate moat. Nearly every client returns, VC firms bring us into their portfolios, and candidates often describe our process as the most thorough and thoughtful of their careers. We don’t just fill roles — we build executive dream teams that transform companies and unlock $100M+ in revenue scale. Follow Bearhug Recruiting on LinkedIn and YouTube.
Media Contact:
Kraig Ward
Managing Director, Bearhug Recruiting
hello@bearhugrecruiting.com
