Rettig appointed Chief Technology Officer of 3LS Professional Services
CINCINNATI, OH – January 20, 2026 – Intrust IT, a Cincinnati-based award-winning managed service provider (MSP), today announced a significant leadership transition to support its rapid growth and recent transition to becoming 100% employee-owned.
Longstanding Intrust IT leader, Ricky Phipps, has been named chief executive officer, marking a new era for the IT firm. He succeeds Intrust IT founder and CEO, Tim Rettig, and will lead Intrust’s next phase of growth. Phipps’s appointment as CEO is effective immediately and as he transitions into his new role, Rettig will also take on a new one: chief technology officer of 3LS Professional Services.
The announcement comes on the heels of Intrust IT’s acquisition by 3LS Inc., a rapidly-growing family of employee-owned companies, at the end of 2025. This strategic move solidifies Intrust IT as a 100 percent employee-owned company, a core value and goal championed by Rettig for years. The transition comes as Intrust IT experiences accelerated growth, leveraging its employee-owned structure to foster a stronger culture of client success and service excellence.
“For over three decades, Intrust IT has been more than a company; it’s been a mission to provide exceptional IT support and security while building a culture where every team member is valued,” Rettig said. “Seeing the company become 100 percent employee-owned, backed by the phenomenal 3LS, Inc., is the fulfillment of a long-held dream. I have full faith that Ricky, with his deep industry knowledge and unwavering commitment to our clients and employee-owners, is the ideal person to lead Intrust IT into this exciting new chapter of growth.”
Ricky Phipps brings a wealth of experience to the CEO role, having been instrumental in scaling Intrust IT’s service delivery and operational efficiency. His leadership will focus on continuing the company’s growth trajectory, enhancing its cybersecurity and cloud offerings, fostering its unique employee-owner culture, and introducing AI-enabled solutions that help our clients leverage AI to improve operational efficiency.
“I am honored and excited to take the helm of Intrust IT at such a pivotal moment,” Phipps said. “Tim built an incredible foundation of trust, excellence, and ownership. I am committed to preserving that legacy along with every employee-owner at Intrust IT. We’re all directly invested in our clients’ success, which translates into unparalleled service.”
In addition to his role at 3LS, Tim will also continue his work advocating for employee ownership through his speaking and writing.
Founded in 1992, Intrust’s bold and innovative approach to openness and transparency with employees and clients has been recognized by Inc. Magazine’s Best Places to Work List, the Inc. 5000 List of Fastest Growing Companies (6x), and the Cincinnati Business Courier’s Best Places to Work List (14x), among others. The company prides itself on having maintained a 99 percent customer satisfaction rating since 2016; a feat made possible by their employee owners’ investment in their clients’ success.
“Tim and Ricky have built an incredible organization, and their leadership has helped Intrust IT clients win over and over again in a complex cybersecurity landscape,” said 3LS Professional Services CEO Shannon Litton. “Our 3LS team looks forward to seeing Ricky lead Intrust IT to even greater heights and to harnessing Tim’s passion for employee ownership and cutting-edge technology as our Chief Technology Officer. We know that with their leadership, we’ll empower even more good for the communities we serve.”
About Intrust IT
Founded in 1992 and headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Intrust IT is an award-winning, 100 percent employee-owned managed service provider (MSP). Intrust IT secures a better tomorrow for its clients and communities by ensuring a resilient, secure, compliant, and productive IT environment. Intrust IT is a proud operating company within 3LS, Inc., an employee-owned ESOP holding company, based in Nashville, TN.
About 3LS Inc.
3LS, Inc. is a rapidly growing family of 19 employee-owned companies, with nearly 800 employees across the country, unified in their mission to empower good. With roots in health and human services, today 3LS invests in quality child welfare and behavioral healthcare services, transformative technology, and exceptional professional services — driving growth and impact for similar changemaker organizations and generational opportunity for its employee owners. Visit www.3ls.com to learn more.