Our Team

Kyle Quinn Dreger “KQD” has been working at Patriot Software since 2014 and is currently the Chief Executive Officer (Engineering, PM, Design, IT, and Security).

After graduating from the University of Mount Union with both Computer Science and English degrees, he met Michael Wheeler at a job fair and was hooked on the Patriot Software mission, people, and product. Initially joining as a Software Engineer, KQD then spent several years working across the entire stack from frontend design to backend APIs and infrastructure. Eventually KQD moved into leading our design teams, then product management, and finally all customer-focused product development before landing in his current role leading all of Patriot’s product and technology.

KQD is passionate about American businesses and their accountants, building simple and scalable software products, and the Oxford comma.

Patriot Software is the type of company where hard work pays off. Upward mobility is encouraged and those that have a drive to be excellent can grow from entry-level positions to management to even running a company! At Patriot, I've been encouraged to push myself far beyond my own education or personal expectations. It's a rare workplace where one is challenged to dream while still thinking critically, which invariably helps us find creative ways to positively improve the bottom line.

We're a company that looks to hone raw talent, a company that applauds the success of hard work, a company that pushes for continued learning, a company that draws out the very best in our employees. I thrive in this energetic environment because I am encouraged to consistently challenge myself. We never settle for the status-quo or for everyday expectations. Ultimately, being immersed in a group of innovators is what makes the Patriot companies world-class and why I love working here.

Professionally, Michael (Mike) Wheeler, Esq., is the President & Chief Legal Officer at Patriot Software, where he’s been for 17 years. Please don’t hold it against Mike that he’s technically an attorney, as really he’s a businessman at heart. Now in his 18th year at Patriot, he’s been part of helping run the companies and he has had the distinct honor of taking “the fundraising road less traveled,” which has resulted in diverse M&A experience. His efforts have helped raise tens of millions via convertible notes to accredited investors, private placement offerings, spinoffs, sale of entities, Regulation D offerings, multiple pre-IPO confidential filings with the SEC, and a successful Series A investment with RZC Investments, the investment arm for the Walton Family, and much more. He’s on the board of multiple companies and organizations including a local college and a publicly traded bank. He enjoys complex business and family planning to ensure the wealth of the righteous will be stored for the kingdom of heaven.

Personally, Mike has volunteered extensively on multi-month missions trips, specifically working with orphanages, victims of human trafficking, and non-governmental organizations in Asia, Central America, Europe, and throughout Africa. He has worked to secure land rights and negotiate with tribal and local governments to secure clean drinking water, medical services, and free education with organizations such as Frontline Ministries International, Iris Ministries International, and Mother Teresa’s Calcutta Center and the Sisters of Charity. He and his wife have 3 sons and enjoy living at Lake Cable, OH. Wheeler lives and breathes Patriot’s mission to make payroll and accounting software easy and affordable for millions of American businesses and their Accountants, and loves being part of the complexities of the company.

Even though we have grown like crazy, we’ve been able to maintain our small company work ethic which provides the opportunity for every employee to make a difference. The work we do, or don't do, directly affects the success of the company. At bigger companies, you might be just a number and your work might have little or no real impact on the company. But the work that everybody does here, day-in and day-out, truly helps move the company forward. I like that! For example, I started as an intern back in the 90’s sitting on a metal folding chair, but now I’m the company’s Chief Technical Consultant. Although that’s a fancy job title, a more appropriate title probably should be “Chief Detective,” because I often explore the hidden places where nobody wants to go. But that’s my job and I have fun doing it!

Paul Bailey serves as Chief Technical Consultant for Patriot Software. Paul has worked for Patriot since 1991. He began as an intern while earning his degree from Stark State College.

Back in our early startup days, before the modern-day internet existed, Paul began working as a Software Developer writing software applications for desktop computers that could only be updated with 5 ¼-inch floppy disks. Over the years, Paul has continuously retooled himself and various teams to write web-based software that services tens-of-thousands of American businesses.

Today, Paul stealthily travels under the radar in Patriot looking for inefficiencies and better ways to solve problems with technology.

On a personal note, Paul has savored over three decades of wedded bliss with his high school sweetheart, and they survived raising 4 children together. He has enjoyed coaching youth basketball for the past 20 years and spends the rest of his (very little) free time exercising, playing video games, and going on weekly dates with his wife.

We all work our tails off, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We may have started out as co-workers, but now it seems like we’re all just a bunch of friends working together. The work is hard, but it’s fun and invigorating to tackle cutting-edge projects together.

To create world-class innovation, you have to be willing to take risks and make mistakes. My motto is; "If it ain’t broke, break it." Consequently, I’m the chief mistake-maker. But that’s okay, it gives my co-workers plenty of opportunity to poke fun at me (but I reciprocate). This keeps all of us humble, and it sets a tone in our companies that it’s okay to take risks and make mistakes.

Michael J. Kappel is the founder of Patriot Software. After earning an Engineering degree from Ohio University in 1980, Kappel worked in the Nuclear Equipment Division of Babcock & Wilcox. In 1986, Mr. Kappel saw unlimited potential in the relatively young software industry so he left the corporate world to start the first of his 5 successful Patriot Software companies. With more than 30 years of experience as a successful serial entrepreneur and business owner, Mr. Kappel is passionate about helping millions of American business owners simplify their mundane accounting and payroll tasks.