GTIA Names Pax8's Matt Lee as 2024-25 Member of the Year

Longtime cybersecurity educator, content creator and advocate is celebrated for his leadership as a trusted advisor and mentor, as well as his boundless energy to empower ITSPs around the world

NASHVILLE, Tenn., July 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA), the nonprofit membership community connecting and representing the worldwide IT channel, today presented Matt Lee, Senior Director of Security and Compliance at Pax8, with the GTIA 2024-25 Member of the Year award.

As one of the channel's most recognized—and recognizable—contributors, Lee has led efforts to support IT service providers (ITSPs) in strengthening their cybersecurity posture, blending advanced technical expertise with a down-to-earth energy that makes it easier to engage and execute. His leadership and continued contributions to the dedicated team and GTIA community at large are many, including:

• Member of the GTIA Cybersecurity Executive Council and Cybersecurity Trustmark Working Group.
• Helping to refine the GTIA Cybersecurity Trustmark program, which offers ITSPs a path to differentiate themselves by adhering to an industry standard of controls and provides assurance that they have met or exceeded those standards and continue to improve their cybersecurity maturity every year.
• Serves as a leading voice to educate, empower and mentor ITSPs to identify and respond to the latest cyber threats as well as understand the potential impact those threats can have to small businesses.

Beyond his formal role within GTIA, Lee's boundless energy and passion for education through engagement continue to inspire and shape the GTIA community and broader IT industry. Through informative and engaging podcasts like "Beard Banter," "TECHnically Unraveled," and "MSP1337," and a grueling travel schedule where he presents at conferences, and classrooms around the world, Lee makes security concepts accessible, inspires collaboration, and builds connections across the industry. Whether sharing real-time insights during critical security events or mentoring new leaders, Lee embodies GTIA's mission to advance the people and businesses of the global IT channel with trusted, unbiased resources as an inclusive community that drives growth.

Celebrating its 10^th year, the GTIA Member of the Year Award is the highest honor given by GTIA each year to a member of the GTIA Community. To be eligible for the award, a nominee or applicant must have been a GTIA member in good standing for a minimum of one year. The winner is chosen by the GTIA Member of the Year selection committee, which is made up of past Member of the Year recipients who are active members of GTIA including Tracy Pound, Managing Director, Maximity; Angel Piñeiro, IT Industry Executive, Uptime USA; Victor Johnston, CEO, Inspired Business Innovations LLC; John Tippett, COO, Cytracom; Hannah Lloyd, CRO, enhanced.io; Alex Spigel, COO, Choice Cyber Solutions and John Harden, Director, Strategy & Technology Evangelism, Auvik.

Recognized as a leader, mentor and modern-day IT security and compliance sherpa, Lee has completed more than 100 presentations along with roughly 30 hours of direct education while boarding over 50 flights year to date to help educate and enable others in the IT channel. "There's nothing I am more passionate about than helping ITSPs to elevate their capabilities and create a safer future around cybersecurity," noted Lee. "I'm truly honored to be named the GTIA Member of the Year and look forward to building on the work I've already done."

"Matt Lee reflects the core values of GTIA and his impact can be seen, felt and heard throughout the community," said MJ Shoer, Chief Community Officer, GTIA. "His leadership around cybersecurity and his commitment to building community have made a real difference for GTIA, our members, and the greater channel ecosystem. We're proud to name Matt Lee our GTIA Member of the Year."

GTIA honored Lee in person during an awards ceremony at ChannelCon, the IT channel's premier annual conference, which took place in Nashville July 29-31, 2025. More on GTIA and ChannelCon can be found here.

About the Global Technology Industry Association
The Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA) is the only vendor-neutral, 501(c)(6) nonprofit membership community connecting and representing the worldwide IT channel. We set our members up for success by providing benefits that include trusted resources and networking opportunities. In addition, the association sets industry standards that enable companies to build sustainable, secure and profitable businesses in an ever-changing technology landscape. Internationally, GTIA represents tens of thousands of professionals from more than 2,000 MSPs, solution providers, vendors, distributors and other companies serving the IT channel. For more information, visit gtia.org.

SOURCE Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA)