Thousands of healthcare providers across the country rely on Change Healthcare’s solutions and services, including the exchange of healthcare data and financial transactions between healthcare providers, insurers, and patients. The fallout from the attack led to months of outages for these organizations, and healthcare providers had to turn away patients and cancel appointments until they could recoup their systems. Eventually, United Health Group, the parent company of Change Healthcare, was forced to pay the attackers a $22 million ransom to prevent patient data from leaking.
The Change Healthcare data breach demonstrated how much an indirect attack can impact an organization and the critical need for having the right cybersecurity protocols in place. Organizations both in and outside of healthcare rely on third-party vendors, opening new vulnerabilities that could have an immense impact on operations if not addressed. Luckily, every company can learn from the Change Healthcare attack and use those lessons to build more substantial and secure operations.
Thrive Awarded State of Florida Contract for Digital Security SolutionsNew contract will provide state, county and city agencies with cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions
Tallahassee, FL April 9, 2025 – Thrive, a global technology outsourcing provider for cybersecurity, Cloud, and IT managed services, announced today that it has been selected by the State of Florida, Department of Management Services as a vendor for the Digital Security Solutions contract. This latest partnership adds to the list of state and local governments that trust Thrive to protect them from cyber threats, including phishing attempts and data breaches.
Local and state governments continue to be targets of cyberattacks, and the effect is costly. According to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2024, the global average cost of a data breach is $4.88 million. And with a government’s limited resources, a cyberattack can be devastating, not only financially but also to the trust of its constituents.
To enable these organizations to strengthen their cybersecurity and better protect their data, Thrive has a dedicated public sector team with more than 20 years of experience. This team delivers proactive, fully managed security solutions designed to protect state agencies from cyber risk.
Florida’s Department of Management Services will allow Thrive to provide cybersecurity solutions to state agencies and other eligible entities across multiple service categories, including:
- Service Category 3: Endpoint Detection and Response Fortinet FortiEDR with Thrive Management
- Service Category 5: Email Security Checkpoint Harmony Email & Collaboration Security with Thrive Management
- Service Category 10: Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Checkpoint SASE with Thrive Management
“State and local governments are seeing an influx of data at the exact same time that cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated. It has never been more important to ensure government systems are updated, teams are trained, and data is protected,” said Bill McLaughlin, CEO of Thrive. “Thrive has a deep understanding of the unique needs of local and state governments across our cybersecurity journey. When government agencies like the State of Florida, partner with us, we bring in our team of experts to handle cybersecurity risk so the organization can focus on serving citizens.”
To learn more about Thrive’s CJIS offerings, click here.
About Thrive
Thrive delivers global technology outsourcing for cybersecurity, Cloud, networking, and other complex IT requirements. Thrive’s NextGen platform enables customers to increase business efficiencies through standardization, scalability, and automation, delivering oversized technology returns on investment (ROI). They accomplish this with advisory services, vCISO, vCIO, consulting, project implementation, solution architects, and a best-in-class subscription-based technology platform. Thrive delivers exceptional high-touch service through its POD approach of subject matter experts and global 24x7x365 SOC, NOC, and centralized services teams. Learn more at www.thrivenextgen.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
Contacts
Amanda Maguire
AI Is Changing The Managed Services GameThrive, an MSP based in Foxborough, Mass., is harnessing AI to transform how managed services handle routine tasks by streamlining operations, detecting issues before they arise and allowing technicians to focus on critical problems rather than getting bogged down by routine maintenance, said CEO Bill McLaughlin. This results in a smoother, quicker customer experience, which leads to higher satisfaction and efficiency, he said.
But those benefits only come through thoughtful implementation, he said.
“You need the right team in place to roll it out and, like any technology, it needs constant attention,” McLaughlin told CRN. “AI runs on data, so organizations need to ensure that the data is clean, secure and maintained.”
While AI has the potential to significantly enhance managed services, success hinges on careful planning, expert implementation and rigorous data hygiene, McLaughlin said.
“There needs to be proper quality control and security around the data you’re working with,” he said. “It’s not just about flipping a switch and turning it on. If not properly vetted, AI could introduce more problems than it solves.”
Bolster cyber resilience to increase corporate and individual securityToday, the lines between professional and personal lives are increasingly blurred, and the security of an organization is tied to the security habits of each individual employee.
Improving cyber resilience is not just about protecting company assets on servers or in the cloud — it’s about safeguarding the personal data, devices, and digital habits of everyone within an organization. Even if one employee’s account is breached, the company is at risk. In fact, in a report from Varonis, the average employee is estimated to have access to 11 million files, showing just how important the security of the individual is to the security of its employer.
Why US third-party vendors need to act fast on DORA complianceThe Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA) has been in effect for over two months (since 17th January 2025, with the previous two years for preparation), but some organizations are still unprepared. While this regulation directly affects the financial sector of the European Union (EU), it also impacts US companies providing services to EU financial firms, including US firms providing services to their EU subsidiaries.
Thrive Spotlight: George Seybolt – Director, Strategic OperationsWelcome back to another installment of our “Thrive Spotlight” blog series.
Our featured employee is George Seybolt, Director, Strategic Operations. George’s role is split into two parts, both relating to strategic operations. The first part is focused on integrating acquired companies and making sure they are correctly and smoothly cutover into ServiceNow (SNOW). This includes several different pieces including completing due diligence on the business operation functions, reviewing contracts, invoices, and any ongoing operation functions that the acquired business may still have, as well as mapping all their existing data into SNOW for their cutover.
The second half to George’s role is managing strategic operations related to Thrive, as well as a small team within Business Operations focused on strategic projects. Some of these initiatives include rolling out new products through campaigns like SaaS Alerts, sunsetting legacy products, as well as advising on new processes within SNOW that are related to the business operations function.
When George first started at Thrive, he lived right outside of Boston in Waltham and worked out of our Foxborough office. However, thanks to the flexibility to work remote, George now lives in Denver, CO. Outside of work, George loves exploring outside and going for a hike whenever he can. Now that he lives out West, he does a lot of hiking and backpacking in the Rockies and Wasatch ranges.
Hi George! Can you tell us about your background and how you came to Thrive?
I started my career with three years working at State Street Bank in various roles including regulatory research, audit, and finance. I found Thrive through Zach DesMarais as he had been working with the previous integration team before moving into a new role, so he recommended me for this roll since they were looking to fill his previous position.
Where did you go to school or get training?
I attended the University of Vermont and majored in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and a minor in Statistics.
What do you most enjoy about working for Thrive?
My favorite thing about working for Thrive is seeing how it has grown and evolved over the years. It was a relatively small 250 person MSP when I first started in 2019, and seeing the rapid growth since then has been exciting. Since I started, I have been heavily involved on the integration side of the business and have seen almost all 21 acquisitions, and the unique perspectives each acquisition team brings to Thrive is incredible.
Are there any recent exciting projects at Thrive you can tell us about?
Now that our newest acquisition has officially closed, I am excited to learn more about their business and understand how they operate. I always enjoy the beginning part of acquisitions because we get to meet new team members and see how other MSPs operate. Although I have been through the process nearly two dozen times, we learn something new and get a different perspective every time.
Are you interested in learning more about Thrive? Click here!
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for the latest news, and continue checking our blog for more in our “Thrive Employee Spotlight” series. Until next time…
30 Notable IT Executive Moves: February 2025Jodie Stewart
In February, Jodie Stewart became vice president of sales training and development at Thrive.
Stewart joined the Foxborough, Mass.-based company–a member of CRN’s 2025 MSP 500–after about three years with Polen Capital, according to her LinkedIn account. She left Polen as head of learning and development.
Her resume includes about two years with Arch Insurance Group, leaving in 2021 as senior manager of learning and development.
Boosting Cyber Resilience Year-RoundWith the start of a new year comes a renewed focus on strategic planning, giving facility executives the opportunity to evaluate their goals and what needs to be done to reach them. In 2025, no strategic business plan is going to be complete without taking cybersecurity into account
Thrive Honors 2024 Outstanding Partner Award WinnersAnnual awards program recognizes exceptional partner collaborations
Boston, February 25, 2025 – Thrive, a global technology outsourcing provider for cybersecurity, Cloud, and IT managed services, today announced the winners of its Outstanding Partner Awards. Thrive is pleased to recognize Broadleaf as the Breakout Partner of the Year; Telarus as the Engineering Team of the Year; Bridgepointe as the Partner of the Year; and AVANT as the Technology Solutions Distributor (TSD) of the Year.
Thrive partners with the industry’s best-of-breed technology and channel companies, enabling it to build, deliver, and support NextGen managed services that customers have come to expect. The company’s annual Outstanding Partner Awards spotlight partners who exemplify collaboration, innovation, and shared success that define Thrive’s partner ecosystem. The winners of this year’s Partner Awards demonstrated significant contributions that enabled Thrive to continue to drive innovation and growth for its customers. Winners include:
- Broadleaf Group, a leading strategic IT solutions provider, for Breakout Partner of the Year. The Broadleaf team of experts deliver bespoke technology solutions while partnering with Thrive to ensure all customers digital transformation goals are easily achieved.
- Telarus, a leading technology services distributor (TSD), for Engineering Team of the Year. Telarus delivers cutting-edge services, solutions, and tools in tandem with Thrive’s industry-leading expertise to help customers navigate the complexities of the evolving digital landscape.
- Bridgepointe, one of the nation’s leading tech advisory firms, for Partner of the Year. Bridgepointe is a trusted partner to Thrive, bringing a breadth and depth of technical expertise, so all customers technology journeys are seamless and stress-free.
- AVANT, a platform for IT decision-making and one of the nation’s premier Technology Services Distributors, for TSD of the year. AVANT helps Thrive keep ahead of the accelerating pace of change by providing the resources and relationships needed to navigate the ever-changing world of communications and IT infrastructure successfully.
“We are proud to recognize the honorees of the Outstanding Partner Awards for their unmatched collaboration that supports us in delivering the best possible experiences to our customers,” said Bill McLaughlin, CEO of Thrive. “Our top-tier partners share our mission of empowering businesses to harness the promise of technology. Broadleaf, Telarus, Bridgepointe, and AVANT all bring exceptional dedication and innovative mindsets that help fuel our continuous growth to power our customers digital transformation journeys.”
To learn more about Thrive and its award-winning partners, visit the website.
About Thrive
Thrive delivers global technology outsourcing for cybersecurity, Cloud, networking, and other complex IT requirements. Thrive’s NextGen platform enables customers to increase business efficiencies through standardization, scalability, and automation, delivering oversized technology returns on investment (ROI). They accomplish this with advisory services, vCISO, vCIO, consulting, project implementation, solution architects, and a best-in-class subscription-based technology platform. Thrive delivers exceptional high-touch service through its POD approach of subject matter experts and global 24x7x365 SOC, NOC, and centralized services teams. Learn more at www.thrivenextgen.com or follow us on LinkedIn.
Contacts
Amanda Maguire
Thrive Spotlight: Channing Smith – Junior Developer, Digital PlatformWelcome back to another installment of our “Thrive Spotlight” blog series.
Our featured employee is Channing Smith, Junior Developer, Digital Platform. Channing works on the Digital Platform Development team working on a variety of internal projects and integrations with ServiceNow. He lives in Charleston, South Carolina near our new office.
Outside of work, Channing leads a local run club in Charleston, he maps out weekly runs and social events. In addition to running, Channing also enjoys cooking, playing Rummikub, and hanging out with his 3-year-old labradoodle Archie, and his girlfriend Elsie.
Hi Channing! Can you tell us about your background and how you came to Thrive?
I came to Thrive as an intern on the Digital Platform Development team during my last semester of college at College of Charleston, then transitioned to a full-time position post-graduation. Throughout college, I was in the Honors College, and primarily involved in researching Ethics in Artificial Intelligence Software. I served as co-president of Upsilon Pi Epsilon, an honor society of computing, and completed internships with RedHat as a full-stack developer and Northstar Travel Group as a cybersecurity architect intern.
Where did you go to school or get training?
I attended the College of Charleston and graduated with a B.S. in Computer Science with minors in Philosophy and Data Science in May of 2024.
What do you most enjoy about working for Thrive?
The most enjoyable part of my day-to-day is the people I work with. The entire Digital Platform team has been super welcoming to me, and I really admire how much I learn from everyone on the team every day. I also really like how involved I am in the business process behind the integrations I work on.
Are there any recent exciting projects at Thrive you can tell us about?
I have recently been working on the N-Able/N-Central integration alongside Jon Bruce and Brian MacMillan which reduces the Logic Apps cost. Before this integration, the Event Management team was logging into N-Central and creating tickets manually, but we are now automatically creating tickets. This will improve our response time and accuracy when monitoring a client’s environment.
I have also been working on a project related to invoicing with Business Operations and Finance that involves migrating to a new invoice recipient field to reduce errors and typos in the current String field.
Are you interested in learning more about Thrive? Click here!
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for the latest news, and continue checking our blog for more in our “Thrive Employee Spotlight” series. Until next time…