A Lakewood Ranch Corporate Park IT firm has expanded its regional footprint by acquiring a Venice-based competitor.
Four Winds IT announced Aug. 18 that it acquired Suncoast IT Consultants, a deal that pushes the company's client roster past 300 small and midsize businesses across Southwest Florida. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Four Winds, headquartered at 6151 Lake Osprey Drive, Suite 365, has operated in the region since 2014 and has fewer than 50 employees. The acquisition gives the firm a stronger presence in Venice, Wellen Park and southern Sarasota County, areas where Suncoast handled everything from help desk requests to full office technology buildouts, according to the Business Observer.
Founder Steps Back After Building Solo Practice
Suncoast IT Consultants was a one-person operation founded by Chris Kropilak, who registered the company with the state in 2022. Kropilak has stepped back from the business.
"After years of serving Venice, Sarasota and Wellen Park, I wanted to be sure my clients would be taken care of well past my own tenure," Kropilak said in a statement. "Four Winds is local, they've been at this since 2014, and they bring resources I couldn't offer on my own."
Dylan Borden, Four Winds IT vice president of operations, said the company's priority is earning the trust Kropilak built with his clients. Borden described the acquisition as adding 24/7 monitoring and deeper cybersecurity resources to the local, personal service those businesses already received.
Four Winds IT provides managed IT services, cybersecurity, cloud and Microsoft 365 support and strategic technology guidance. Its client base stretches from Tampa to Naples, with additional accounts in Georgia and across the Southeast, according to a Sarasota Chamber press release.
For former Suncoast clients, the transition requires no action. Existing phone and email contacts continue to reach support, and Four Winds staff are contacting each client directly to determine whether the fit is right.
The deal reflects broader pressure on small IT providers. Rising cybersecurity insurance standards and compliance obligations that once applied only to larger organizations now reach businesses of every size, making it harder for solo operators to sustain the required infrastructure alone, according to Four Winds IT's announcement.
Contact Information
Four Winds IT can be reached at 941-315-2380 during office hours, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., with 24/7 emergency support available for existing clients.
