PBN Manufacturing Awards 2024
MANUFACTURING SERVICE PROVIDER: Axiotrop LLC
JOSEPH DEVINE WAS SEEKING a new opportunity after he sold his information technology staffing business in 2020. However, he remained passionate in supporting small businesses with their cybersecurity needs.
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With an experienced team that had been working together since 2004 on National Institute of Standards and Technology cybersecurity initiatives and an ever-increasing desire to support small businesses, establishing Axiotrop LLC in Narragansett was divine for Devine.
Today, Axiotrop helps small- and medium-sized manufacturers improve their cybersecurity maturity posture and assists defense contractors in preparing for the U.S. Department of Defense’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification program’s Level 2 assessment. The company operates primarily with a remote workforce, enabling it to recruit the very best professionals wherever they are located.
“My strong faith has … called me to fight the bad actors around the world that are attacking our companies, governments and nonprofits to undermine our way of life,” said Devine, who is also Axiotrop’s president.
Axiotrop looks to simplify cybersecurity by working closely with clients to personalize a program for their specific needs, resulting in client retention, business expansion and reduced risk. The goal is to make cybersecurity accessible, attainable and sustainable for businesses so they remain competitive and poised for growth.
The company’s customer base primarily consists of the defense industrial base and manufacturers with less than 500 employees – many with less than 75 employees – in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The company also does business in Arizona and Europe.
With most businesses holding clients’ sensitive or confidential information, Devine says cyberattacks, particularly on smaller businesses, always present potential major issues, from financial to reputational to a potential shutdown.
“Protecting this information is part of the client supplier relationship,” Devine said. “There is an expectation that suppliers will take the necessary cybersecurity precautions to keep their data safe. Companies that don’t protect their clients’ data risk significant financial and reputational damage.”
Unfortunately, while large companies frequently address cybersecurity, many smaller businesses don’t make cyber protection a priority until it’s too late. High costs are a major factor why some small businesses opt against cybersecurity, Devine says.
But as a CMMC registered practitioner organization, Axiotrop, Devine says, helps companies baseline their cybersecurity programs.
Axiotrop also recently received a referral for a CMMC customer in Pittsburgh that is planning to become CMMC certified. Freemelt, a subsidiary of a Sweden-based company, is Axiotrop’s third European client. Additionally, Senesco Marine LLC in North Kingstown approached Axiotrop with an aggressive goal to get prepared for its CMMC assessment in four months. Axiotrop developed a plan of action to complete the project by the first quarter of 2025.
Last year, Axiotrop engaged with Polaris MEP to create a cohort-based CMMC training and implementation program called “CMMC Kickstarter.” The cohort approach, aimed at small defense industrial base manufacturers in Rhode Island, reduces training costs for each company.
Devine’s passion for helping others is certainly shared by his Axiotrop colleagues, who also find great reward in the work they do. Doug Tondreau, the company’s director of cybersecurity operations, says his passion is driven by knowing that the work he does directly contributes to safeguarding individuals, businesses and governments.
“It allows me to combine my love for learning, problem-solving and educating others with a purpose that is critical in today’s world,” Tondreau said. “There’s a deep sense of responsibility and reward in helping to create a more secure digital landscape, and educating others about cybersecurity practices ensures that the knowledge is shared and applied widely. By empowering others through education and implementing solutions that mitigate risks, I feel that I am making a tangible, positive impact on the world.”
