Author Archives: Megan Carnes

New CFO to lead financial strategy and operational discipline as the company continues to scale

Boston, MA April 28, 2026 – Thrive, a global technology outsourcing provider for AI, cybersecurity, cloud, and IT managed services, today announced the appointment of Matt Kosovsky as Chief Financial Officer. Kosovsky brings a unique combination of financial expertise, operational rigor, and ability to translate data into action to Thrive, and will be instrumental in helping the company sharpen execution, improve performance, and make the right investments across the business.

As Thrive builds out its leading MSP/MSSP capabilities, it continues to invest across three core pillars: people, process, and technology. Adding Kosovsky to the executive team will help bring increased clarity, accountability, and insight into how the business operates. His early contributions have already strengthened financial planning and performance management across the organization, helping position Thrive for continued growth.

“In the short time he’s been onboard, Matt has already made a significant impact on Thrive,” said Bill McLaughlin, CEO of Thrive. “He’s helped us better instrument the business from both a financial and operational perspective, bringing greater visibility, discipline, and insight into how we run the company. We know Matt will be instrumental in helping us build a scalable, data-driven operating model as we continue to grow, expand, and acquire new companies and capabilities.”

Based in Boston, Kosovsky brings a strong background in working with high-growth, private equity-backed businesses. Prior to joining Thrive, he served as an Operating Director in the Portfolio Support Group at Berkshire Partners and previously held advisory roles at Deloitte & Touche. As CFO, he will help drive Thrive’s growth by advancing financial strategy, supporting scalable execution, and strengthening the data-driven model.

“With so many organizations rethinking how they secure and manage their IT environments and AI deployments, joining Thrive could not come at a more exciting time,” said Kosovsky. “As demand for integrated cloud, cybersecurity, and AI services continues to accelerate, and the demand for service remains at an all-time high, Thrive is well-positioned to capture the moment. From my early days here working closely with the team, I know we will scale Thrive’s impact, drive disciplined growth, and invest in the capabilities that matter most to our customers.”

This appointment comes at a key time for Thrive, following a year of strong revenue growth, the launch, and expansion of their Managed AI Services and multiple acquisitions. With Kosovsky as CFO, Thrive is well-positioned to support this next phase of hyper growth.

For more information about Thrive, visit https://thrivenextgen.com/

About Thrive

Thrive is a NextGen 3.0 global technology outsourcing provider that empowers small and mid-market organizations to transform their technology into a strategic advantage. Offering a breadth of services from AI and cybersecurity to cloud, compliance, and traditional MSP/MSSP solutions, Thrive’s team of seasoned experts develop strategies that standardize, scale, and automate technology to achieve outsized ROI. From advisory services to a 24×7×365 SOC and NOC, Thrive provides end-to-end IT and cybersecurity management so clients can focus on innovation and growth. With Thrive, your business is always supported and always secure. Learn more at www.thrivenextgen.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Contact
V2 Communications for Thrive
thrive@v2comms.com

Welcome back to another installment of our “Thrive Spotlight” blog series.

Our featured employee is Scott Benson, Manager, Infosec Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC). Scott’s team manages the security awareness training service for over 800 clients, managed IT auditing, and dark web monitoring. While their client base has grown over 200% over the years, the team has remained the same size by standardizing client configurations, optimizing workflows, and automating repetitive tasks.

Based in Houston, Texas, Scott enjoys spending time with his family, including two boys they were fostering and then adopted in 2025. He loves listening to music and playing the guitar. When asked about his favorite songs to play, he struggled to pick just one genre, but improv solos over electronic music sound fun to us! A true technology aficionado, he makes sure to stay up to date with the cybersecurity world, as it’s constantly changing.

Hi Scott!  Can you tell us about your background and how you came to Thrive?

My interest in cybersecurity started back in middle school when I would hack in video games. I thought that would be what I did when I grew up but then I took American Sign Language as my 2nd language in high school, fell in love with it, and pursued that path. After getting out in the field though, it didn’t fit my personality, so I went back to school for automotive engineering.

After working as a mechanic for four years, the brutal Texas summers got to me and I needed a change. So, while I was working 55 hours a week as a mechanic, I spent 15-20 hours a week outside of work learning about IT and cybersecurity. I even brought a Raspberry Pi to work and plugged it into the alignment machine so when I wasn’t working on cars, I could skill up.

After getting my A+ and Security+ certifications, someone from Thrive reached out to me via LinkedIn about the Associate Engineer role thinking I would be a good fit. I applied, got the job, and officially started my IT career. About six months in, my manager reached out about a new role that needed to be filled that would be primarily on the internal IT team with a foot in the SOC Team. I jumped at the opportunity and that’s where I got my start in cybersecurity.

After about a year, a position opened for a SOC Analyst. I applied, thinking I was a shoe in. I didn’t get the role; however, in the interview I was told about a future role that I’d be a great fit for. Three months later, I moved over to the Infosec Operations team as a Security Engineer. At the time, it was a new team of five within the Security Operations department. My job responsibilities evolved, and I worked on reviewing vulnerability reports, ran and reviewed results of autonomous penetration tests, and managed clients’ security awareness training programs. Eventually, we split the Infosec Operations team in two: The Offensive Security Team, and the Infosec GRC Team. I was the team lead for the Infosec GRC team for about a year before being promoted to manager in February 2026.

Where did you go to school or get training?

I have degrees in sign language interpreting and automotive engineering, but I am fully self-taught when it comes to cybersecurity and IT skills.

What do you most enjoy about working for Thrive?

The culture. The Rising Tide initiative, focusing on training up and promoting from within, is what drew me to Thrive as a company in the first place. After working here for four years and earning five promotions, I know it’s not just words, we actually live it. On top of that, if I’m ever unsure about something, I can always ask someone for help and get the answers I need. I have never been ridiculed or felt less than for asking a question and everyone is happy to help.

Are there any recent exciting projects at Thrive you can tell us about?

We are currently working on automating data collection for the configuration of our Security Awareness Training clients. This is currently a manual audit done quarterly that takes 80+ hours. Once completed, we will be able to get real time data on the setup of all 800+ clients at the push of a button.

Are you interested in learning more about Thrive? Click here! 

Don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn for the latest news, and continue checking our blog for more in our “Thrive Employee Spotlight” series. Until next time… 

New offering combines expert consulting to streamline audit readiness and create measurable business value

Boston, MA, April 22, 2026 – Thrive, a global technology outsourcing provider for AI, cybersecurity, cloud, and IT managed services, today announced the launch of Abacode Compliance Services, its managed Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) portfolio designed to help organizations establish, operationalize, and sustain continuous compliance programs. This launch follows Thrive’s July 2025 acquisition of Abacode.

As compliance requirements grow more complex, many organizations continue to struggle with visibility and program effectiveness. According to Gartner, only 37% of executives are confident they can track their company’s compliance program effectiveness. Thrive’s new managed GRC services address that challenge by aligning governance, security, and operational execution to create measurable business value.

Thrive’s new service portfolio offers our clients a seasoned compliance consulting team experienced in helping organizations navigate evolving regulatory requirements. Through a structured, hands-on engagement model, Abacode Compliance Services enables organizations to move beyond point-in-time assessments and toward a more strategic, ongoing approach to compliance.

“Compliance should not be a one-time exercise or a box to check,” said Rolando Torres, Vice President, Cyber Consulting Group at Thrive. “With Abacode Compliance Services, organizations can take a more strategic, continuous approach that connects governance, risk, and cybersecurity to strengthen resilience, simplify audit readiness, and create long-term business value.”

Backed by Thrive’s broader security foundation, including 24×7 security monitoring and support, a U.S.-based security operations center, dedicated cyber incident response capabilities, and advanced backup and recovery services, the new offering gives organizations a more integrated path to managing cyber risk and compliance obligations. Other notable capabilities include:

• Baseline assessments of current IT environments, processes, and compliance readiness
• Program implementation through policy development, roadmap creation, and compliance portal setup
• Continuous compliance support through system monitoring, documentation management, and annual policy and assessment updates
• Audit and certification support, including audit preparation, support, and expert guidance throughout the audit process
• A central compliance portal, which works alongside the Thrive Client Portal to provide centralized documentation, task automation, evidence tracking, and real-time visibility into compliance and security status.

Abacode Compliance Services supports a broad set of leading regulations and frameworks, including CMMC Level 2, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, TISAX, NIST SP 800-171 and 800-172, CIS Controls, GDPR, SOC 2, ISO 27001, and ISO 42001, among others.

For more information about Thrive’s compliance offerings, visit https://thrivenextgen.com/compliance-regulatory-services/

About Thrive

Thrive is a NextGen 3.0 global technology outsourcing provider that empowers small and mid-market organizations to transform their technology into a strategic advantage. Offering a breadth of services from AI and cybersecurity to cloud, compliance, and traditional MSP/MSSP solutions, Thrive’s team of seasoned experts develop strategies that standardize, scale, and automate technology to achieve outsized ROI. From advisory services to a 24×7×365 SOC and NOC, Thrive provides end-to-end IT and cybersecurity management so clients can focus on innovation and growth. With Thrive, your business is always supported and always secure. Learn more at www.thrivenextgen.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Southern Spring & Stamping (SSS), a Florida-based manufacturer with a 70-year history, has long been known for its commitment to quality, service, and craftsmanship. For decades, the company’s Chief Financial Officer and a CPA by trade, managed both financial and IT responsibilities, an impressive feat that included writing early custom business software from scratch. As the business grew and cybersecurity risks escalated, SSS knew it was time to modernize its approach to technology and security.

The Right Time for a New IT Partnership

At one point, SSS worked with a small, local IT provider. Over time, it became clear that the arrangement left the company too exposed to modern cyber risks. “We had limited defenses, we just hadn’t been found yet,” recalled the CFO. The company wasn’t just looking for better tech support, it needed a strategic partner who could guide them toward CMMC compliance, formalize their IT operations, and relieve the CFO of his hands-on role after 45 years of service.

Systematic Change and Security Modernization Bring Peace of Mind

SSS selected Thrive as their new Managed Service Provider (MSP) and began a thorough, methodical transition. “It was a slow ramp-up, but it was very intentional, very dedicated, and very detailed. When we got running, there were no pending issues out there waiting to resolve,” said SSS’s CFO.

That attention to detail has paid off. From the beginning, Thrive helped identify and close critical security gaps as part of SSS’s work toward CMMC compliance. A virtual CISO (vCISO) and technical advisors worked closely with SSS leadership each week to develop and refine processes, policies, and documentation that will support and maintain certification. In addition, SSS relies on Thrive for managed networking, cloud infrastructure, end user support and security, workstation patching, pen testing, incident response, and more.

Thrive doesn’t wait for issues to arise, they take a proactive approach to identifying vulnerabilities, improving system reliability, and guiding long-term planning. From simulating phishing attacks to formalizing disaster recovery plans, the focus has always been on anticipating problems before they occur and resolving them without disruption to the business.

As part of their modernization, SSS moved to the cloud, a shift that brought resilience and performance gains. The CFO shared, “Our users didn’t notice changes, except that the speed went up tremendously.” The transition also removed many of the infrastructure concerns that had been managed in house.

The improvements extend beyond security and performance. With cloud-based systems and VoIP phones supported by Thrive, SSS’s operations now remain stable even in the face of bad weather, including hurricanes. Before moving to the cloud, their satellite location in North Carolina used to be affected when the Florida site lost power or connectivity. Now, services automatically reroute, and customers never know there’s been an issue.

A Clear Path Forward

Today, Southern Spring & Stamping has a hardened, standardized IT environment with built-in resilience and redundancy. With new user setups, computer configurations, support tickets, patching, monitoring, and more all handled externally. “The institutional knowledge gathered over the years is no longer necessary for the proper function of the company,” remarked the CFO.

SSS continues working toward full CMMC compliance, confident they have the systems and documentation to demonstrate their readiness. For a company that spent decades relying on internal know-how and informal processes, the transformation with Thrive has been both substantial and empowering.

“Our partnership with Thrive has allowed me to consider retirement…now I submit a case and let them take care of it. I trust that they’re going to do it right — and they always do.”- Lloyd Weed, CFO, Southern Spring & Stamping

About Thrive

Thrive is a NextGen global technology outsourcing provider that empowers small and mid-market organizations to transform their technology into a strategic advantage. Offering a breadth of services from AI and cybersecurity to cloud, compliance, and traditional MSP/MSSP solutions, Thrive’s team of seasoned experts develop strategies that standardize, scale, and automate technology to achieve outsized ROI. From advisory services to a 24×7×365 SOC and NOC, Thrive provides end-to-end IT and cybersecurity management so clients can focus on innovation and growth. With Thrive, your business is always supported and always secure. Learn more at www.thrivenextgen.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

“Most successful attacks are still the simplest ones: phishing, extortion and social engineering,” said Mike Gray, chief technology officer at Thrive. “The most common AI scams still rely on familiar techniques that continue to work because they exploit human behavior. Those methods still deliver results, and AI has only made them faster, cheaper and easier to scale.”

AI is often perceived as something that can be switched on as easily as any other business tool: Buy a licence, choose the use case and roll out the solution for immediate productivity gains. But in reality, it’s far from a plug-and-play situation.

Boston Consulting Group’s latest global research shows a clear divide between expectation and outcome. Just 5% of organisations claim to be achieving AI value at scale, while 60% report little or no material value from their investment. But why is AI falling flat? In many cases, businesses move too quickly and don’t have the in-house resources to manage data readiness, governance, impact on staff and how success will be measured.

Florida-based Agencies Can Use Thrive’s Texas Data Center Following CJIS CSA’s Approval

Florida, April 7, 2026 – Thrive, a global technology outsourcing provider for AI, cybersecurity, cloud, and IT managed services, today announced the launch of its Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS)-approved hosting capability. Florida’s CJIS CSA approval for Thrive’s Texas data center currently applies only to Florida-based agencies, with additional state-level alignments to follow. CJIS compliance is governed at the state level.

Supporting Mission-Critical Data

The FBI’s CJIS Security Policy sets the standard for how sensitive law enforcement data, including criminal records, biometric data, and other investigative information, is stored, accessed, and transmitted. For state and local agencies, adhering to CJIS requirements is essential not only for maintaining compliance but also for ensuring the integrity, security, and availability of mission-critical data that underpins daily operations and public safety outcomes.

With a long-standing track record of supporting State, Local, and Education (SLED) organizations, Thrive has built this latest capability to address the evolving needs of public safety agencies seeking modern, secure, and resilient infrastructure. Many agencies face increasing pressure to move to the cloud while navigating complex compliance mandates, making CJIS-approved environments a critical enabler of modernization.

“For public safety agencies, downtime is not an option,” said Bill McLaughlin, CEO of Thrive. “They need a partner like Thrive who deeply understands the regulatory landscape, modernization pressures, and the mission at hand. Our CJIS-approved hosting capability reflects our deep expertise working with state and local agencies, as well as our commitment to ensuring they have secure, resilient solutions that enable agencies to operate with confidence and get the job done.”

The Thrive Difference with CJIS

Thrive’s CJIS-approved environments enable public safety agencies in Florida to securely host, access and manage this critical infrastructure in the cloud from Thrive’s Texas-based data center while meeting stringent compliance requirements. The environment is built with security and continuity at its core, enabling agencies to protect sensitive data while maintaining uninterrupted access to critical systems. By incorporating robust backup and disaster recovery capabilities, Thrive helps organizations prepare for and respond to disruptions—whether from cyber incidents, system failures, or natural disasters. Organizations using the solution unlock several key benefits, including:

• The ability to host environments through Thrive Cloud across multiple geographic locations, including the newly approved Texas data center, in addition to its previously approved Winter Haven, FL data center
• Access to geo-diverse backup and disaster recovery to strengthen agency resilience, including dedicated disaster recovery support for current Florida customers
• A streamlined path to expand CJIS-approved capabilities into additional states over time

“CJIS requirements are stringent for a reason. They ensure that the data officers and agencies rely on is protected and always available,” said Joe Holt, AVP of SLED at Thrive. “Thrive’s CJIS-approved hosting capability passed that high bar, giving agencies the flexibility and access they need, while ensuring their data is secure, recoverable, and compliant.”

For more information about Thrive and its SLED capabilities, visit https://thrivenextgen.com/

About Thrive

Thrive is a NextGen 3.0 global technology outsourcing provider that empowers small and mid-market organizations to transform their technology into a strategic advantage. Offering a breadth of services from AI and cybersecurity to cloud, compliance, and traditional MSP/MSSP solutions, Thrive’s team of seasoned experts develop strategies that standardize, scale, and automate technology to achieve outsized ROI. From advisory services to a 24×7×365 SOC and NOC, Thrive provides end-to-end IT and cybersecurity management so clients can focus on innovation and growth. With Thrive, your business is always supported and always secure. Learn more at www.thrivenextgen.com or follow us on LinkedIn.

Six months after launching a suite of managed AI services for enterprises, global services vendor Thrive is now adding a new “Managed AI Workspace,” where enterprises have access to 58 large language models (LLMs) in one destination so they can find the best ones to use for their businesses.

Welcome back to another installment of our “Thrive Spotlight” blog series.

Our featured employee is Michelle Canepa, who is based out of Thrive’s Lakeland, FL office. In her role, Michelle leads a team of Client Success Managers (CSMs) serving Florida, Texas, the Southeast, Mid Atlantic, and State, Local and Education (SLED) government entities. The CSM team’s mission is to build meaningful relationships with clients through proactive communication and a deep understanding of their needs. They partner with teams across the Thrive organization, from onboarding and training through ongoing collaboration, to ensure a strong partnership that delivers the best client experience. They help ensure clients are confident using the Thrive Client Portal, and CSMs work closely with internal teams to resolve issues quickly and effectively.

When she’s not working, Michelle likes to explore different places, specifically with the goal of finding new coffee shops. She confesses she buys too many plants… but really, how many is too many?! Michelle also loves painting pottery, which is a great way to save on planters for all those plants!

Hi Michelle!  Can you tell us about your background and how you came to Thrive?

I started my career in hospitality, where I learned the value of putting people first. Along the way, I discovered a passion for technology and its power to drive innovation. I wanted to find an organization that blended these two worlds: a people-first mindset with a commitment to technological advancement. That’s what led me to Thrive. It’s a place where I can leverage my love of customers, while embracing cutting-edge solutions to deliver meaningful impact for clients and teams.

Where did you go to school or get training?

I went to East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania. I have a Master’s Degree in Management & Organizational Leadership and a Graduate Certificate in Change Management.

What do you most enjoy about working for Thrive?

Two things: the culture and the forward-thinking mindset. Thrive feels like a close-knit community where people are always ready to help and support each other. At the same time, we’re constantly looking ahead – innovating and asking, “What’s next?” That balance of collaboration and progress makes Thrive an incredible place to learn and grow.

Are there any recent exciting projects at Thrive you can tell us about?

I absolutely LOVE our new client portal. I think it’s an amazing way for clients to have more visibility and stay connected. Also, the way Thrive embraces AI is truly incredible! AI is something that’s only going to grow and Thrive is tackling it head-on. We’re actively integrating AI into our solutions to make client experiences smarter and more efficient.

Are you interested in learning more about Thrive? Click here! 

Don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn for the latest news, and continue checking our blog for more in our “Thrive Employee Spotlight” series. Until next time…