# 3rd Element Consulting > Managed IT, cybersecurity, and compliance services for privately owned businesses (25 to 250 employees) headquartered in Central Pennsylvania, serving organizations nationwide. Structured, security-first IT built on a documented standards baseline, not flat-rate guesswork. Last updated: 2026-09-05 3rd Element Consulting is a managed service provider based in Mechanicsburg, PA, founded in 2005 and still owner-operated by co-founders Dawn Sizer (CEO) and Dave Sizer (COO/CTO). Named to CRN's MSP 500 list (Security 100 category, 2024-2026) and winner of the ChannelPro Partner in Excellence Award. Named to ChannelPro's Top 20 MSPs (2025). Serves law firms, accounting and financial firms, healthcare organizations, manufacturers, logistics and distribution companies, multi-location businesses, professional services firms, and field service companies, primarily 25-250 employee organizations. Headquartered in Central Pennsylvania, serving organizations nationwide. Primary next step for prospective clients: [Schedule an IT Environment Review](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/it-environment-review) ## What makes 3rd Element different - Standards-led: every client environment is held to a documented CIS Controls-aligned baseline, not ad hoc fixes. - No Level 1 support tier: every ticket goes to someone who can resolve it directly, no scripted triage or escalation queue. - Owner-operated: the founders still run daily operations, not a call-center model with rotating account managers. - No contractors or outsourced technicians: the team that designs the standard is the team on site. - Deep Microsoft 365 specialization, including AI governance and Copilot readiness (data cleanup required before AI tool activation). ## Good fit / not a fit 3rd Element works best with organizations of 25-250 employees where IT issues disrupt operations, security answers are unclear, or leadership wants a planned technology roadmap rather than reactive support. Not a fit for businesses seeking low-cost help desk-only coverage, break/fix support, or optional/unstructured security. ## Services - [Managed IT Services](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/services/managed-it) - [Co-Managed IT Services](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/services/co-managed-it) - [Cybersecurity Services](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/services/cybersecurity) - [Standards and Security Baseline](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/services/standards-security-baseline) - [Governance, Risk & Compliance](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/services/compliance-grc) - [Backup and Recovery Planning](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/services/backup-recovery) - [Cyber Insurance Readiness](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/services/cyber-insurance-readiness) - [Microsoft 365 and Cloud](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/services/microsoft-365-cloud) - [AI Readiness and Governance](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/services/ai-readiness) - [Virtual CIO (vCIO)](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/services/vcio) - [Business Automation & Custom Software](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/services/business-automation-custom-software) ## Industries - [Law Firms](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/industries/law-firms) - [Accounting and Financial Services](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/industries/accounting-financial) - [Healthcare](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/industries/healthcare) - [Manufacturing](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/industries/manufacturing) - [Logistics and Distribution](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/industries/logistics-distribution) - [Multi-Location Businesses](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/industries/multi-location) - [Professional Services](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/industries/professional-services) - [Field Service](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/industries/field-service) Several industry pages also have location-specific variants (for example, law firms in Harrisburg, Lancaster, and York; healthcare in Lancaster and Mechanicsburg; manufacturing in Harrisburg, Lancaster, and York; accounting and financial in Lancaster and York). See the full list at https://3rdelementconsulting.com/industries. ## Locations Headquartered in Central Pennsylvania, serving organizations nationwide. Dedicated regional support in Central PA, with remote delivery everywhere and on-site travel available when the engagement calls for it (multi-location accounts, acquisitions, or projects requiring hands-on work). Full list at https://3rdelementconsulting.com/locations - [Central PA](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/locations/central-pa) - [Mechanicsburg / Camp Hill / Lemoyne](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/locations/mechanicsburg) - [Harrisburg / Hershey](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/locations/harrisburg) - [Lancaster](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/locations/lancaster) - [Carlisle](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/locations/carlisle) - [Chambersburg](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/locations/chambersburg) - [Hanover](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/locations/hanover) - [Lebanon](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/locations/lebanon) - [Philadelphia](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/locations/philadelphia) - [York](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/locations/york) - [Remote / Outside Central PA](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/remote-it-support) ## Vendor vetting and comparison resources Direct answers for buyers evaluating or switching managed IT providers. - [IT Provider Vetting Checklist](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/resources/questions-to-ask) - [AI Vendor Vetting Checklist](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/services/ai-readiness) - [What Should a Managed IT Provider Actually Handle?](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/resources/what-msp-should-handle) - [Outgrown Your MSP?](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/resources/outgrown-your-msp) - [How to Switch IT Providers Without Creating Chaos](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/resources/how-to-switch-providers) - [What Is Managed IT Services?](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/resources/what-is-managed-it-services) - [Flat-Rate IT Support vs. Standards-Led IT Ownership](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/resources/flat-rate-vs-standards-led) ## Resources Evergreen answers to common buyer questions about managed IT, cybersecurity, and compliance. Full list at https://3rdelementconsulting.com/resources - [Downloads library](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/resources/downloads) ## Blog Dated, real-time posts on regulatory changes, industry recognition, and speaking engagements. Full list at https://3rdelementconsulting.com/blog ## AI Briefing Series An 8-part Executive AI Briefing Series for business leadership deciding how to approach AI adoption. Covers understanding AI, risk, governance, business opportunities, tool selection, preparation, and a 90-day plan. Start at https://3rdelementconsulting.com/resources/executive-ai-briefing-series ## Podcast & Live 3rd Element Live is a recurring livestream and Rebel Executives is the companion podcast. Episodes cover IT, cybersecurity, and running a growing business. Find them at https://3rdelementconsulting.com/resources/rebel-executives-live ## Company - [About](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/about) - [Team](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/team) - [Press](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/press) - [Careers](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/careers) - [Client Stories](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/client-stories) - [Contact](https://3rdelementconsulting.com/contact)