Column, the public notice software company used by hundreds of news organizations and thousands of government agencies and legal professionals, has announced a strategic leadership transition designed to position the company for its next chapter of growth and product innovation. Founder and CEO Jake Seaton will step into a new role as executive chairman of the board, and Megan Villanueva, Column’s vice president of product, has been promoted to chief executive officer.
Seaton founded Column in 2019 with a mission to bring an innovative solution to the public notice process. Under his leadership, Column grew quickly to become the largest processor of notices in the United States. The company serves as the operational backbone for public notices and legal advertising, partnering with publishers, governments and legal professionals in all 50 states.
“As a founder, one of the best things you get to do is empower the right leader to take the company forward,” said Jake Seaton, founder and chairman. “Megan is one of the most thoughtful, customer-driven product leaders I’ve ever had the privilege to work with. She has the vision, the operational excellence and — most importantly — the heart to take Column to new heights. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built together and couldn’t be more excited to support her and the team as Column continues to grow.”
Villanueva, who joined Column in 2022 and has led product strategy and development across its publisher, government and law-firm solutions, steps into the CEO role with deep experience shaping Column’s roadmap and guiding customer partnerships.
“I’m honored to take on the role of CEO and to build on the foundation Jake and our team have created,” said Villanueva. “Column is entering an era defined by modernization, collaboration and scale. The regulatory landscape is shifting, our customers are evolving and their need for reliable public information infrastructure has never been greater. I’m energized by the opportunity to lead Column and accelerate the impact we can make for media organizations, governments and the public.”
As executive chairman, Seaton will continue to support Column’s long-term strategy, partnerships and industry relationships while remaining an advocate for modernizing public information infrastructure in the U.S.
The leadership transition reflects Column’s commitment to durable, product-driven growth and the company’s confidence in its mission to deliver compliance-ready, future-proof tools for the public notice ecosystem.
