Decades of Digital Defense
25+ years in IT and cybersecurity leadership (from the front lines to the boardroom).
Eric Near
Thoughtful Leader. Seasoned Advisor. Perpetual Student of Emotional Intelligence.
25+ years in technology, from 12 years in the MSP world (managing infrastructure, owning client relationships, taking the 2am calls) through Network Consulting, Infrastructure Engineering, Compliance Leadership, and Cyber Liability. I've sat in the technical chair and the leadership chair, and I bring both perspectives to every engagement.
Most recently I served as Lead Advisor for Cyber Liability at Galactic Advisors, overseeing compliance across 30+ frameworks for 2,000 Managed Service Providers and guiding the company through two SOC 2 Type II audits. I grew our policy library from 60 to over 120 documents, turning ambiguous frameworks into practical governance.
My approach is grounded in emotional intelligence. Cybersecurity is ultimately about people: the people who build systems, the people who use them, and the people who lead organizations through uncertainty. That's why I focus on bridging IT execution with executive accountability.
I regularly share these insights at industry events. Learn more about my speaking topics and engagements here.
Areas of Expertise
- SOC 2 Type I and Type II Audits
- PCI DSS Compliance
- HIPAA Security
- NCUA Cybersecurity Compliance
- NIST 800 Frameworks
- NIST CSF 2.0 Alignment and vCISO Program Maintenance
- CMMC Level 1 Self-Assessment and SPRS Affirmation
- CMMC Level 2 Readiness and NIST SP 800-171 Control Auditing
- NIST SP 800-53 Control Assessments and ATO Packages
- NIST SP 800-161 Cybersecurity Supply Chain Risk Management
- CJIS Security Policy Compliance for Law Enforcement and Vendors
- Cyber Insurance Applications and Policy Review
- Evidence Collection and Audit Preparation
- Incident Response Planning and Tabletop Exercises
- Policy and Procedure Development
- Vendor Risk Management
- Operational Risk Assessments
- Email Security (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
- Technical Onboarding and Offboarding
- Cybersecurity Awareness Training
- SEC 10-K Cyber Risk Disclosure (Item 106)
- SOC 2 Audit Recovery (Rescue)
- MSP Engineering Overflow and On-Demand Technical Capacity
- Cross-Framework Control Mapping
- Cybersecurity Speaking and Event Session Delivery
- Security Culture and Leadership Communication
Credentials & Certifications: Galactic Certified Compliance Consultant · MCSA: Windows Server 2012 · 25+ years in IT and cybersecurity leadership
Beyond Nearest Solutions
- Nearest Creative : Custom intro and outro music, audio branding, and sound design for podcasters.
- Disruptive Empathy : My upcoming book on IT strategy, cybersecurity, and the emotional intelligence behind effective leadership. Expected Tuesday, June 30, 2026. Follow along on Substack.