As Chief Financial Officer and Senior Networking & Security Engineer at FortiShield Tech Group, Ryan Walters combines sharp financial acumen with deep technical expertise to drive both profitability and resilience for Florida businesses. Based in Southwest Florida, Ryan oversees all aspects of our financial strategy—budgeting, forecasting, pricing and risk management—while architecting and securing the network infrastructures that underpin our clients’ operations. His dual-role ensures FortiShield delivers cost-effective cybersecurity solutions without compromising on performance or reliability.
A Dual-Discipline Leader in Finance and Network Security
Ryan’s unique background bridges the gap between the boardroom and the data center:
Strategic Financial Stewardship: As CFO, Ryan manages FortiShield’s P&L, optimizes cash flow and negotiates vendor contracts to maximize our buying power. He designs pricing models and service packages calibrated for Florida’s SMB and enterprise markets—ensuring we remain competitive while preserving healthy margins.
Advanced Networking & Security Engineering: Holding decades of hands-on experience, Ryan designs robust, scalable network architectures—firewalls, VLAN segmentation, secure VPNs and zero-trust micro-perimeters. He leads implementation of SentinelOne EDR across client sites, integrates our FortiRMM monitoring agents, and tunes intrusion-detection systems for maximum threat visibility.
Core Achievements & Innovations
1. Financial Frameworks that Scale
Dynamic Service Pricing Models: Developed tiered cybersecurity service plans—EDR, RMM, Threat Intelligence, Incident Response—that align investment levels with client risk profiles. His transparent pricing structure has driven a 35% increase in proposal acceptance among mid-market companies.
Budgeting & Forecasting Systems: Implemented rolling-forecast dashboards that track real-time KPIs—MRR, churn, OPEX and CAPEX—allowing the executive team to pivot quickly as market conditions shift.
Vendor Negotiations & Cost Controls: Renegotiated legacy software and hardware contracts, reducing annual licensing costs by over 20% while securing extended support terms.
2. Network Security Excellence
Enterprise-Grade Perimeter Design: Engineered multi-layered firewall deployments for clients in finance and healthcare, enforcing strict DMZ segregation and continuous log aggregation into our SIEM.
Secure Remote Access Solutions: Architected a zero-trust VPN and MFA framework that supports hundreds of remote users, balancing usability with stringent access controls.
RMM Integration & Automation: Led the integration of our proprietary FortiRMM agents with network monitoring tools—automating configuration drift detection, firmware updates on edge devices and proactive incident escalation to our Hybrid AI-Human SOC.
3. Operational & Compliance Leadership
Regulatory Compliance Programs: Guided clients through HIPAA, PCI DSS and Florida’s privacy statutes by mapping network controls to regulatory requirements and generating audit-ready reports directly from our systems.
Disaster Recovery & Business Continuity: Co-developed IR playbooks and DR runbooks, conducted quarterly tabletop exercises, and validated failover procedures to ensure clients can recover critical network services within RTOs as low as 2 hours.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Works closely with Kyle Hrzenak to align security investments with financial goals, and with Antonio Estrada to streamline project deployments—ensuring each engagement stays on time, on budget and on scope.
Why Florida Companies Rely on Ryan’s Expertise
Ryan understands the unique landscape of Florida’s business community—from Fort Myers & Tampa’s fintech firms to Miami’s healthcare providers and Orlando’s growing tech startups. His “finance-first” approach to cybersecurity means:
Value-Driven Solutions: You get enterprise-grade defenses priced for your budget.
Predictable Costs: No surprise bills—just clear, itemized statements and forecasts.
Rapid ROI Demonstration: Real-time dashboards that show the financial impact of risk reductions and uptime improvements.
Schedule a Consultation with Ryan Walters
When you engage FortiShield Tech Group, you gain direct access to Ryan’s blended skill set: robust financial planning paired with bullet-proof network security. He’ll personally review your current expenditures, design a tailored service package, and architect a resilient network that meets your compliance and growth objectives.
Contact us today to schedule a one-on-one consultation with Ryan Walters—let him show you how FortiShield can optimize your cybersecurity spend, strengthen your network posture, and propel your Florida business toward sustained success.
