Standing Up to Security Risks

Matthew Beck is helping to lead the charge in improving cybersecurity.

The Carnegie Mellon University alumnus is chief technology officer for Lynx Technology Partners. The New York City-based firm ranks among the fastest growing security companies and has more than $10 million in annual revenue and clients ranging from Fortune 1,000 companies to federal agencies. Lynx works with its clients to improve information security, facilitate compliance, reduce risk and enhance IT visibility.

Beck oversees the software solutions product suite, day-to-day operations and support staff. In short, he maps complex IT infrastructures that can stand up to risks while complying with the latest set of security standards.

“Mainly, we work with clients who are proactive,” said Beck, who was named Lynx CTO last November. “They are not looking to simply comply with a security standard, but are concerned with understanding the evolving nature of IT security threats. They want to be the industry leaders using best practices and avoid the black eye of a security breach.”

“Matthew has helped several ventures deliver exceptional value to their customers, and we are extremely excited to have him join the Lynx team,” said Aric Perminter, founder and chairman of the firm.

There is so much that university has to offer as a cutting-edge research institution and just as important are the solid engineering problem-solving fundamentals ... that intensity and environment helped me to become a more innovative person and to always push for solutions.

Beck began his professional career working at CMU’s Robotics Institute, where he focused on manufacturing process automation. He also held technical roles at eSourcing and Software as a Service (SaaS) pioneer FreeMarkets and has served as CTO for CMU spinoff Acatar, an educational technology and online degree platform, and eBillingHub, a provider of SaaS electronic bill processing.

Recalling his days at CMU, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical and computer engineering in 1995, Beck said he always had an interest in how things pieced together. As a student, he worked in David Bourne’s Rapid Manufacturing Lab of the Robotics Institute; and after graduation he continued working there as a staff researcher. He welcomed how the lab gave him experience in everything from production planning to re-engineering a geometry engine, and it’s where he said he discovered his love for technology and business development.

“As my career path took shape, I was driven by a passion for creativity and entrepreneurship, specifically the growth stages of companies. I wanted to learn as much as I could about product life cycle and infrastructure and see how I could improve the processes in place,” he said.

“There is so much that university has to offer as a cutting-edge research institution and just as important are the solid engineering problem-solving fundamentals,” he added. “That intensity and environment helped me to become a more innovative person and to always push for solutions.”

It also was at CMU that he would meet his future wife, Jennifer (née Mack) Beck, who earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture in 1995, followed by a master’s degree in public policy and management. Today, she is a project architect for Hayes Design Group Architects. The couple had their first date the day after the 1993 Spring Carnival and were married in 1996.

More than two decades after his graduation, Beck says he is still committed to his alma mater and frequently invests in CMU talent to build his teams.

“It is great to work with CMU graduates. They are so well prepared,” he said.