Virtru CEO and Co-Founder John Ackerly Named 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year®

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Data security trailblazer recognized for transforming how organizations share and protect sensitive information

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Virtru, the leader in data-centric security, today announced CEO and Co-Founder John Ackerly has been named a 2025 EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award winner for the Mid-Atlantic region. The prestigious award recognizes Ackerly's leadership in revolutionizing cybersecurity through innovative, data-centric solutions that enable secure, compliant data sharing across commercial and government markets.

With Ackerly's direction over the past 12 years, Virtru has grown to serve millions of individuals, over 6,000 customers, including Fortune 500 organizations, the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community and other critical federal and state agencies.

"I'm deeply honored to receive this recognition from EY," said Ackerly. "This award reflects the incredible dedication of the entire Virtru team who embody our mission: To unlock the power of data by creating a world where it is always under your control, everywhere. While most vendors focus defensively on protecting data within the perimeter, Virtru has pioneered data-centric security that empowers people, enables strategic information-sharing and activates the value of data. It's our goal to enable organizations - of every size, in every industry - to respect the data they are entrusted with."

The Entrepreneur Of The Year program, which is in its 40th year of operation, celebrates individuals who boldly disrupt markets through the world's most ground-breaking companies, revolutionizing industries and making a profound impact on communities. The Mid-Atlantic program specifically honors leaders from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC.

Redefining Cybersecurity with Data-Centric Innovation

Powered by the open Trusted Data Format (TDF) standard, Virtru's Data Security Platform makes it easy for both commercial and government entities to securely share sensitive information. As highlighted earlier this year at RSAC 2025 and at the Gartner Security and Risk Management Summit, data-centric security is much more than locking data down and preventing it from being lost or stolen - it's about giving people agency over information so they can share it freely with others, without sacrificing security, control, or privacy. Unlike traditional cybersecurity vendors that focus solely on preventing data from leaving organizations, Virtru enables data to flow freely outside the organization while maintaining complete control and security.

Success Across Multiple Markets

Under Ackerly's leadership, Virtru has continued to innovate and expand from simple integrations like Gmail to develop a true platform enabling a myriad of workflows across diverse environments - from commercial business applications to custom implementations for national defense. Users can exercise the power of Virtru's Data Security Platform seamlessly with applications like Google Drive, Outlook, SharePoint, and Zendesk, protecting their data without changing workflows and maintaining compliance with ITAR, CMMC, HIPAA, GDPR, and GLBA regulations.

For government environments, Virtru has developed specialized workflows that meet the unique security requirements of public sector agencies. The FedRAMP- and StateRAMP-authorized platform enables secure cross-domain collaboration and mission-critical communications that strengthen security operations.

The Future is Data-Centric

As organizations increasingly recognize that traditional perimeter-based security models are insufficient for today's collaborative business environment, data-centric security is experiencing unprecedented momentum. Ackerly's recognition as an EY Entrepreneur of the Year reflects not only his individual leadership but also the broader industry shift toward solutions that enable secure data sharing while maintaining control. This rising tide of data-centric security represents the future of how organizations will simultaneously share and protect their most valuable asset-their data.

For more information about Virtru and its Data Security Platform, please visit www.virtru.com

About Virtru

Virtru empowers organizations to unlock the power of data while maintaining control wherever it's stored and shared. Trusted by over 6,000 global customers, Virtru provides simple, powerful solutions for Zero Trust data-centric security, underpinned by the Trusted Data Format (TDF). Learn more at Virtru.com.

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Nick Michael

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