Cynomi unveils Cyber Advisory Excellence Awards

Cynomi has launched the Cyber Advisory Excellence Awards, a new programme recognising the work of service providers across managed, security, and IT services.

The company said the awards cover roles and practices linked to virtual CISO services, virtual CIO services, and CISO-as-a-Service. Cynomi positioned the programme around security programme management and executive engagement on cyber risk.

It also named an inaugural Founding Cohort of Transformational Cyber Leaders. The cohort includes executives and virtual CISO leaders from CompassMSP, Intercity Technology, slashBlue, General Informatics, DeepSeas Security and ECI.

Founding Cohort

The Transformational Cyber Leader Award founding cohort honourees are Jim Ambrosini, Director of Cyber Advisory Services at CompassMSP; Phil Bindley, Field CISO at Intercity Technology; Dennis Boone, President at slashBlue; Donald Monistere, President & CEO at General Informatics; John Matis, vCISO Practise Leader at DeepSeas Security; and Chad Fullerton, Vice President of Information Security at ECI.

Cynomi said it selected the cohort for work that aligns cybersecurity with business strategy, executive engagement and resilience. The company framed the recognition around repeatable approaches rather than one-off consulting work.

In addition to the founding cohort, Cynomi opened nominations across the wider awards programme.

Award Categories

Cynomi listed six categories. They include the Transformational Cyber Leader Award, the Women in Cyber Leadership Award, the Cyber Advisory Team of the Year Award, the Emerging Cyber Leader Award, the Community Champion Award, and the Cyber Resilience Impact Award.

The Community Champion Award is determined through peer nominations and a community vote, according to Cynomi. The Cyber Resilience Impact Award accepts individual and team entries. Cynomi said entry is free across all categories.

The company framed the programme around measurement and outcomes in cyber advisory work. It described a focus on leadership and trust in customer relationships.

Channel Focus

Cynomi markets its platform to service providers. The company described its target customers as MSPs and MSSPs and linked the awards to that ecosystem.

The company said cyber risk plays a larger role in executive decision-making. It also said organisations look for advisors who can translate cyber risk into business outcomes and resilience planning. Cynomi used the awards to highlight that type of advisory work in the services channel.

"These awards recognise the people who are moving cybersecurity into the boardroom conversation-driving resilience, earning executive trust, and delivering outcomes that protect customers and strengthen businesses," said Tim Coach, Chief Evangelist of Community and Channels, Cynomi.

Coach described a motivation to highlight repeatable programme approaches. "We created this program to spotlight the leaders raising the bar for cyber advisory-those who have made security a true business enabler through repeatable, scalable program management," said Coach.

Timeline Details

Cynomi set out a timeline for the programme. It said it would present the founding cohort at the Right of Boom event in Las Vegas, which runs in early February.

The company also set a deadline for submissions in late July. It said it expects to announce the next set of recipients in September.

Cynomi said the awards are part of its broader positioning to scale cyber advisory models through service providers. It also linked the programme to an industry shift in how organisations and their IT and security partners approach cybersecurity services.

The next award recipients will be announced and formally recognised in September.