Jonathan J. Judge was the CEO of Paychex from 2004 until 2010. He took the reins after founder B. Thomas Golisano stepped down. Judge brought a wealth of experience from his previous roles, notably as the CEO of Crystal Decisions...

Jonathan J. Judge was the CEO of Paychex from 2004 until 2010. He took the reins after founder B. Thomas Golisano stepped down. Judge brought a wealth of experience from his previous roles, notably as the CEO of Crystal Decisions and General Manager at IBM’s Personal Computing Division. Under his leadership, Paychex saw significant growth in service revenue and operating income, metrics tied to his compensation. His pay varied, with notable highs like $4.6 million in 2008 due to performance bonuses and stock, but it took a hit in 2010 following his resignation, which came with a $1.9 million severance. He was known for his performance-based pay structure, aligning executive incentives with the company’s success. During his time, Paychex’s market cap grew impressively, peaking at around $4.9 billion in 2024, showcasing the strong foundation he helped establish.