HADLEY — Earth Day is right around the corner. For individuals and companies looking to get rid of their old computer equipment and do some good, Paragus IT will host a technology recycling drive to promote sustainability on Earth Day and to benefit Dakin Humane Society.

“This is our fifth time doing this drive,” Paragus Marketing Manager Mary Seabury said. “It’s a great opportunity for local businesses and individuals to recycle their old technology while doing our part to protect our planet and its creatures.”

On Wednesday, April 22 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., those looking to recycle old, unwanted computers, laptops, printers, and other equipment can drop it off at Paragus at 122 Russell St. in Hadley.

Paragus will prepare them for reuse or make sure they’re properly disposed of. In exchange, it will collect $5 per piece of equipment — all of which will go to benefit Dakin Humane Society.

Some items may have additional fees, including: CRT TVs above 24 inches ($40), projection/console TVs ($40), flatscreen TVs and CRT TVs below 24 inches ($30), CRT monitors ($15), printers and copiers ($5), and toner, both used and unused ($5).

More details about the recycling drive can be found at paragusit.com/earthday.

WORCESTER — Paragus IT, a strategic IT services firm for small to medium-sized businesses, recently welcomed Robyn Garcia as vice president of Security and Compliance, further strengthening the company’s leadership team as it continues its rapid growth.

Garcia brings more than 20 years of experience across IT operations, cybersecurity, compliance, and infrastructure leadership in both public and private sector environments. In her new role, she will oversee Paragus’s security and compliance strategy, helping clients navigate increasingly complex regulatory, risk, and governance requirements — including frameworks such as CMMC and HIPAA — while advancing the company’s own internal security posture.

As one of her first initiatives, Garcia will lead Paragus through its CMMC Level 2 certification, reinforcing the company’s commitment to meeting the highest standards for security and compliance in support of government contractors and regulated organizations.

Most recently, she served as director of Operations at ArcLight IT, where she led company-wide operations, strategic planning, and process improvements to drive efficiency and scale. She previously held senior IT and cybersecurity leadership roles at Revolution Space, Howard Energy Partners, and Weaver Technologies. She began her career as an information systems technician in the U.S. Navy, where she worked within highly regulated and security-critical environments.

“I’m excited to join Paragus at such a pivotal moment,” Garcia said. “Paragus is a dynamic, fast-growing, and forward-thinking organization, and the fact that it’s employee-owned makes the culture even more special. This role is an incredible opportunity to help organizations fuel growth while taking a practical, business-aligned approach to security and compliance.”

Delcie Bean, founder and CEO of Paragus IT, said Garcia’s experience and leadership style make her a strong addition to the team.

“Robyn brings a rare combination of deep technical expertise, strategic vision, and real-world leadership experience,” Bean said. “We’re thrilled to welcome her to Paragus and confident she’ll play a key role in shaping the future of our security and compliance practice.”

With Garcia’s addition, Paragus’s service leadership team is now 100% women, and the company’s senior leadership team is now 70% women, reflecting Paragus’s ongoing commitment to inclusive leadership and diverse perspectives.

Garcia holds an MBA and a bachelor’s degree in management information systems, along with industry-recognized certifications, including CISSP and CompTIA Security+. She is currently completing a master of liberal arts degree in cybersecurity at Harvard University.

HADLEY — The Channel Futures annual MSP 501 list is a definitive ranking of the most influential and fastest-growing managed service providers (MSPs) around the world. This year, Paragus IT ranked seventh in Massachusetts and 15th in New England, making it one of the top-ranked MSPs in Western and Central Mass.

Channel Futures is a media and events platform serving companies in the information and communication technologies channel industry with insights, analysis, information, and in-person events. Its annual 501 list serves as a critical benchmarking tool and speaks to the rapidly evolving IT-channel ecosystem and its diversity of business models.

“As an employee-owned company, it’s always an honor for everyone’s hard work to be recognized, especially during the difficult times many businesses have been facing over the past year and a half,” said Delcie Bean, CEO of Paragus IT. “It’s a testament to the dedication of all of our partners, and this is a victory we all share.”

HADLEY — Paragus IT has always defined its core services as the ‘three pillars of IT’: on-demand support, security and compliance, and strategic planning. It announced it has launched a new division to support a fourth pillar: automation.

A process can be automated if it is repetitive in nature, doesn’t require logical thinking or human intervention for completion, and has the potential for costly human error or inconsistency. Potential automated processes for businesses include appointment booking, employee scheduling and onboarding, issue tracking and resolution, social-media activity, and much more.

“Every business has at least a handful of manual processes that could benefit from being completely automated,” Paragus CEO Delcie Bean said. “Automation can substantially save time and money while increasing accuracy, efficiency, and profitability. We are more than an outsourced IT vendor for our clients — we’re a strategic partner. By lightening their workload and eliminating these time-consuming tasks, we’re helping our clients devote additional time and resources to focusing on more important things.”

HADLEY — Paragus IT has been at forefront of the ever-changing technology field for more than a decade. Part of this is due to CEO Delcie Bean’s passion for talking to a wide range of business leaders about their thoughts and experiences. It’s this curiosity that led to the creation of Podagus, a Paragus podcast about business, technology, and making IT fun. Each episode, Bean sits with the leader of a business to talk about how technology is shaping their business.

Over the first three episodes, Delcie has spoken with a diverse selection of guests. Podagus kicked things off with Michael Tamasi, president and CEO of AccuRounds, a manufacturing business based in Avon. That was followed by conversations with Drew DiGiorgio, president and CEO of Wellfleet Insurance in Springfield, and Eileen McCaffery, executive director of the Community Music School of Springfield. And it’s not all shop talk — each episode ends with a fun and surprising lightning round that lets listeners get to know these leaders on a more personal level.

“One of the best parts of my job is the opportunity to engage with other CEOs and business leaders,” Bean said. “I’ve had so many fascinating conversations and learned so much that I thought it might be interesting for others as well. The Podagus podcast is a chance to reach out and expand the range of these conversations even further. It’s also a lot of fun.”

New episodes of Podagus are released every two weeks. It can be found on YouTube, Spotify, and iTunes.

HADLEY — Every year, Forbes publishes its “Small Giants” list highlighting 25 businesses “whose commitment to greatness over fast growth has enabled them to best serve their customers, employees, and communities.”

This year, Paragus IT was recognized as an innovator in the small-business world, with Forbes citing the Hadley-based firm’s employee-ownership structure and mission to make IT fun, among other features.

“It’s an honor to be included on such a diverse and amazing list of other small businesses around the country,” said Delcie Bean, CEO of Paragus IT. “And it’s great that a magazine as prestigious as Forbes is committed to appreciating what makes small businesses great. As an employee-owned company, our employees, or partners, as we call them, were so excited to be recognized for our passion for making IT fun.”

HADLEY — Paragus IT CEO Delcie Bean has been a featured speaker at events across the country on topics as diverse as entrepreneurship, technology, innovation, employee ownership, and employee-driven culture. He’s now offering his services — free of charge — to businesses and organizations looking to stay connected in these uncertain times.

“Today, with a large portion of the workforce operating remotely, it’s more important than ever to keep in contact any way we can,” Bean said. “This is also a high-risk time for cybersecurity and a time when many companies are confronted with big questions about the future. I’m happy to connect with business and organizations in order to move forward together in a safe and smart manner.”

Businesses and organizations interested in setting up a videoconferencing session with Bean can get more info at paragusit.com/virtualdelcie.