Background

Zack Parnell is the former CEO and owner-operator of Industrial Training International, his family’s trades training business. He joined the company in 2009, purchased it from his parents in 2016, and went on to lead its growth before selling the business in 2024. Today, Zack is a Managing Partner at BuiltOps, where he invests in businesses that support frontline workforces and the training and infrastructure behind them.

Why American Operator

Zack has been the kid in the family business, its buyer, and ultimately its seller, giving him a rare perspective on succession from every side. He believes his experience can have the greatest impact at the small-business level, where hands-on leadership can create meaningful change. That perspective makes him a natural fit for American Operator’s mission of backing owner-operators and helping local businesses thrive for the next generation.