NOMINATION HIGHLIGHTS

TekStream continues to redefine the future of cybersecurity through its workforce development program and whole-of-state framework, establishing multiple co-managed, student-powered SOCs across university campuses. The model delivers affordable, 24/7 security monitoring and incident response while building a sustainable cybersecurity talent pipeline.

Through the program, TekStream works alongside Splunk, AWS and university IT and security teams to establish co-managed, student-powered SOCs that deliver real-world protection while developing the next generation of cybersecurity talent. Students gain hands-on experience while working in a live environment, leveraging cloud-native infrastructure, AI and advanced security analytics to support threat detection, incident response and observability initiatives.

Guided by TekStream’s Pyramid of Pain methodology, students engage at skill-appropriate levels that progressively deepen their technical expertise. At graduation, students leave with documented experience comparable to that of a level 2 security analyst, positioning them to enter the workforce immediately and receive career counseling from the TekStream team.

At the same time, higher ed institutions strengthen their ability to modernize, secure and optimize a complex hybrid environment without adding unsustainable overhead. The result is measurable digital resilience: improved visibility, faster response and a scalable workforce development model that enables institutions to operate, adapt and recover with confidence.

Led by Bruce Johnson, Senior Director, Enterprise Security and Michael Fazely, Manager, Security Operations Center, the team has scaled this model to multiple university campuses. The program maintains a 100 percent job placement rate for student participants upon graduation.

In a sector where higher education faces mounting cyber risk and constrained budgets, this team has delivered measurable security outcomes while creating a repeatable model for workforce development. By aligning incident ownership, automation and structured talent cultivation, TekStream’s team has demonstrated that cybersecurity excellence is not only about defending systems but about strengthening the talent and institutions that sustain them.