Patrick Shanahan

Chief Executive Officer DaySmart

Last Reviewed: September 26, 2026

Executive Summary

Patrick Shanahan is Chief Executive Officer of DaySmart Software, an Ann Arbor, Michigan company whose appointment, scheduling and payments software serves small businesses in salons and spas, pet care, veterinary practice, fitness and recreation. He has led it since February 2021, having first joined its board after private equity firms LLR Partners and Parthenon Capital recapitalised the business in 2019. His background is in payments rather than vertical software: he spent close to a decade at CardConnect, rising from director of operations to chief operating officer and seeing it through a public listing and a roughly $750 million sale to First Data in 2017.

Career Highlights

• Chief Executive Officer of DaySmart Software since February 2021.
• Member of DaySmart’s board of managers from 2019, following its recapitalisation by LLR Partners and Parthenon Capital.
• Chief Operating Officer of CardConnect Corp. from July 2016, and of its operating company FTS from August 2011, responsible for enrollment, customer service, product support, underwriting and risk, and strategic partners, including DaySmart.
• Director of Operations at FTS from 2008 to 2011.
• Earlier a management consultant at Booz Allen on federal government IT projects.
• Holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from The Pennsylvania State University.

Professional Journey

Shanahan graduated from The Pennsylvania State University with a bachelor’s degree in political science and began as a management consultant at Booz Allen, working on information technology projects for the federal government.

In 2008 he joined FTS, the payments business that traded as CardConnect, as director of operations. He became its chief operating officer in August 2011, responsible for customer enrollment, customer service, product support, underwriting and risk management, and for managing strategic partner relationships and integrating acquisitions. His focus there was helping small business customers use integrated payments, and one of the software partners he managed was DaySmart. In July 2016 FTS combined with FinTech Acquisition Corp. to become the publicly traded CardConnect Corp., and he continued as chief operating officer. By the time of its sale the company served more than 67,000 customers; First Data acquired it through a tender offer launched in June 2017, a deal of about $750 million completed that July.

In 2019 LLR Partners and Parthenon Capital recapitalised DaySmart, and Shanahan joined its board of managers, advising on growth strategy. In February 2021 the owners appointed him chief executive, shortly after DaySmart had acquired AppointmentPlus and Vetter Software, with a brief to continue building through acquisition. That has been the pattern since: DaySmart’s portfolio now spans salon, pet, veterinary, recreation, fitness and appointment-scheduling products; it bought the gym software company BoxMate in August 2025; and in May 2026 it acquired Slick, a London salon management platform backed by L’Oréal’s BOLD fund, which the company presented as a significant step in its global expansion.

Education

The Pennsylvania State University

Bachelor’s degree, Political Science