We won the San Diego Business Journal’s Best Places to Work award again. I’m proud of that. But I want to talk about what it actually represents—because it’s not about a plaque on the wall or a logo on our website.
It’s about the people who show up every day and choose to build something together.
The Year in People
2025 was a year that tested everyone in our industry. Ransomware attacks hit record numbers. AI changed how threats evolve and how we defend against them. Our clients faced pressure from every direction—regulatory changes, economic uncertainty, and attackers who never sleep.
Through all of it, our team showed up.
Not just at their desks. They showed up at Petco Park for the San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering, teaching kids about cybersecurity in the Cybersecurity Zone. They showed up at the San Diego Humane Society’s Walk for Animals—with Samson the alpaca stealing the show. They showed up at Biocom events, sharing real-world security strategies with life sciences leaders. They showed up on weekends when clients needed emergency support.
Josh spoke at IT Nation Secure and Biocom’s Physical + Cybersecurity Workshop, sharing what we’ve learned protecting San Diego businesses. Our team spent a day in Orange County at an HPE workshop, investing in their own growth so they could deliver better outcomes for clients. And yes, our leadership team—including me—rolled up our sleeves on a weekend to help a client with cabling, connectivity, and wireless setup.
That’s not something you mandate. That’s culture.
Why People-First Isn’t Just a Phrase
I’ve been in this industry long enough to know that technology changes constantly. What worked five years ago is obsolete today. What’s cutting-edge now will be standard tomorrow.
But one thing hasn’t changed in 23 years: the best technology means nothing without the right people behind it.
When we say “People-First. AI-Amplified.” we’re describing how we actually operate—not a tagline we invented in a marketing meeting. AI makes our team faster and more effective. It helps us detect threats earlier, respond more quickly, and protect clients around the clock. But AI doesn’t build relationships. AI doesn’t understand why a nonprofit’s mission matters more than their budget. AI doesn’t sit across the table from a CEO who just learned their systems were breached and say, “We’ve got this. Here’s what we do next.”
People do that.
What I Saw in 2025
I saw our team at Padres Opening Day and multiple games throughout the season—not as a reward, but as a chance to spend real time with clients and partners outside of crisis mode. Relationships built over hot dogs and baseball turn into trust when the phone rings at 3 AM.
I saw us at the Masters Viewing Party at Novo Brewing, the Farmers Open at Torrey Pines, and a Broncos vs. Chiefs game with our partners at Pax8. We invested in relationships—with clients, with partners, with our community.
I saw our annual Planning Meeting, where leadership came together to set a bold course for the year ahead. Our mission became clearer: to be the most people-obsessed technology enablement services company. Not the biggest. Not the cheapest. The most people-obsessed.
And I saw what that mission produced.
When ransomware payment rates dropped to historic lows in 2025—with 77% of victims refusing to pay—it wasn’t because attackers got weaker. It was because organizations finally invested in the fundamentals: tested backups, 24/7 monitoring, and teams who knew exactly what to do when crisis hit.
That’s what our team delivered, day after day.
Looking at 2026
The threats aren’t slowing down. AI-powered attacks are accelerating. The organizations that thrive will be the ones with both the technology and the people to stay ahead.
We’re ready.
But what I’m most excited about isn’t our technology—it’s watching our team continue to grow. Watching them take on bigger challenges. Watching them build deeper relationships with the clients and community we serve.
The Best Places to Work award isn’t about being comfortable. It’s about being part of something that matters. Our team protects the organizations that make San Diego run—healthcare providers, life sciences companies, nonprofits serving our community, businesses that employ our neighbors.
That’s meaningful work. And meaningful work, done alongside people you trust and respect, is what makes a great place to work.
Thank You
To our team: Thank you for another year of showing up, stepping up, and building something we’re all proud of.
To our clients: Thank you for trusting us with what matters most—your business, your data, your people.
To San Diego: Thank you for being home.
Here’s to 2026.
Dylan Natter
CEO, centrexIT