Celebrating a quarter-century of secure, intelligent IT built exclusively for the accounting profession.
Twenty-five years ago, a small IT company in Columbia, Maryland set out to solve a problem that most managed service providers weren't built to solve: accounting firms don't need generic IT support, they need a technology partner who understands tax season deadlines, compliance obligations, and the software their teams live in every day.
That company was Cetrom. Today, in our 25th year, we're taking a moment to look back at how far we've come, and ahead at where we're headed next.
Cetrom was founded in 2001 by Christopher Stark, a Washington, D.C.-area native and self-described "computer geek" who saw an opportunity to rethink how accounting firms approached technology. Rather than treating IT as an afterthought, Stark built Cetrom's cloud hosting model from the ground up around the specific needs of CPA firms: predictable performance during the punishing crunch of tax season, uncompromising data security for sensitive financial information, and support that firms could actually count on.
What started as one founder's vision has grown into a company with nearly 35 years of combined IT industry expertise at its helm and a singular focus that hasn't wavered in 25 years: serving the accounting profession, and only the accounting profession.
Over the past two and a half decades, Cetrom's commitment to security, service, and specialization has earned recognition from some of the most respected names in the IT and accounting industries. Recent honors include:
These honors join a longer track record that includes SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA certifications, Microsoft Gold Partner status, and recognition from CPA Practice Advisor, AICPA, and the BDO Alliance.
What hasn't changed in 25 years is Cetrom's singular focus: full-service managed IT, cloud hosting, and security built exclusively for accounting and tax firms.
Today, that includes:
None of the last 25 years would have been possible without the people behind Cetrom. Our leadership team brings decades of combined experience to the accounting technology space:
As Cetrom marks 25 years, the company isn't slowing down; it's building for what's next. In June 2026, Cetrom opened beta enrollment for Cetrom SENTINEL™, a precision DLP redaction engine purpose-built for accounting firms adopting AI.
SENTINEL detects and redacts sensitive client data, including Social Security numbers, EINs, and financial account information, before it ever reaches an AI platform, giving firms a way to pursue AI-driven productivity without compromising the compliance obligations they carry under IRC Section 7216, the FTC Safeguards Rule, and GLBA.
It's a fitting next chapter for a company that has spent 25 years anticipating what accounting firms will need before they know they need it. From pioneering cloud hosting for CPA firms in 2001 to building AI-era data protection today, Cetrom's mission remains the same: helping accounting firms modernize with confidence, security, and peace of mind.