Starfish Computer remains focused on client success – Crain's Cleveland Business
It was a markedly different landscape when the Eaton Family Credit Union became a client of Starfish more than 20 years ago.
There was no online banking. There were no banking apps. In fact, there were no smartphones, so there were no apps of any type at that point. There was dial-in voice banking – a technology that’s now outdated and virtually extinct.
The credit union, which serves employees and retirees of the Eaton Corp., hired the North Olmsted-based company for managed services, namely network support, computer support and data processing. Today, it’s one of dozens of financial institutions that rely on Starfish not just for tech support but cybersecurity – one of the growing concerns of any company that handles sensitive personal and financial data.
“A lot of credit union CEOs get together and talk about things,” said credit union CEO Mike Losneck. “I’ve always talked about Starfish as a solution.”
President RJ Arhar said that Starfish can provide a variety of services, from tech support to the implementation and administration of cybersecurity procedures – no small task in an era where ransomware is on the rise and cyberattack risks are a question of when they’ll happen, not if.
“When I first started the company, three-quarters of the technology we use today didn’t even exist,” Arhar said. “There are so many more aspects of IT now than there were 20 years ago. Twenty years ago, you could get anyone with an IT background or training to set up a server. And then you could make sure that there was an internet connection. Now, there are concerns about cybersecurity and remote work. Complexities can bring out foundational issues.”
As computer issues have become more complicated for companies, many look to outsource their IT services.
“It’s become a pain point for some companies,” Arhar said. “Companies are spending more time on IT than actually running their business.”
Arhar said Starfish tries to align its customers’ needs with its own best practices. And that’s created an environment where everyone prospers.
“As we’ve grown, they’ve also grown,” Losneck said. “IT has become more sophisticated and security focused, and Starfish has stayed on top of that.”
Arhar said the biggest growth for the company has come in the financial services industry. He said clients choose them for their knowledge and for their ability to deliver products that satisfy audit requirements, be they internal or for state or federal oversight.
“We’re a highly regulated industry, so our regulators have become more focused on making sure our IT is secure and our data is secure,” Losneck said. “They’re doing vulnerability testing to make sure data doesn’t get compromised.
“Security is our primary focus on everything we do IT related now,” he added. “We’re spending more now on security than we were spending on IT 10 years ago. We have a whole component built into our system now to address ransomware. It can be up and running within 30 minutes with our secure data. Even if we weren’t doing the right thing, our regulators would be in to make sure we’re doing the right thing.”
The pandemic has accelerated some trends in the industry, Arhar said. Remote work was proceeding slowly until COVID-19 hit in 2020 – as was automation.
“When you visit a website, a lot of customer chats at least start with AI,” Arhar said. “You can now rent tools like that to run or help run your business. Imagine you can analyze data like Amazon does as a small company in Northeast Ohio. You can be your own Amazon, and I’m really excited to bring that to our customers.”
Sign up for free email news alerts and stay connected to important business news straight to your inbox. Click below to see everything we have to offer.
Don't miss the chance to get the biggest news first! Stay connected to Northeast Ohio business news in print and online
Our Mission
For 40 years, Crain’s Cleveland Business has been the trusted source for business news and information for Northeast Ohio’s top executives and business owners.
700 W. St. Clair
Suite 310
Cleveland, OH 44113
216-522-1383
Email
Staff Directory
Crain jobs