Former Mobank CEO, Cerner leader acquire, join longstanding KC tech company

A dramatic change at a Kansas City a computer IT support and managed services firm is expected to bring expanded vision and executive direction with the addition of two top tech leaders who also now own the business, the company announced Tuesday.

CyTek Corporation, founded in 1998, has been acquired by former Mobank CEO Grant Burcham and former Cerner leader Ryan Tillman, effective May 1.

Rick Bernauer, CyTek Corporation

Burcham, whose leadership experience in the financial services sector spans 34 years, has joined CyTek’s leadership team as CEO and chairman, while Tillman takes on the role of president from Rick Bernauer, who has led the company for the past 15 years.

The acquisition, financial details of which were not publicly disclosed, results from a strong relationship between the two new partners, as well as CyTek’s incumbent leadership team, ensuring a continuation of the company’s culture and success, the company said in a press release.

“I’ve known and worked with Grant for more than 20 years,” Bernauer said. “Grant and Ryan know CyTek’s culture and our commitment to clients, which was a key priority when planning the acquisition, and it makes the transition simpler. We’re the same team with the same people, but the addition of Grant and Ryan positions CyTek to move ahead with increased focus on addressing the complex challenges facing our clients as IT support continually evolves to meet changing security and infrastructure environments.”

Bernauer will continue as a Senior Systems Consultant at CyTek, working closely with clients to service law firms and corporate legal departments. 

Click here to read more about CyTek Corporation.

Tillman brings years of strategic investment and partnership management experience to the table, while Burcham has a well-established foothold in the Kansas City business community as the former CEO of Mobank, which was acquired by BOK Financial in 2016.

Burcham’s relationship with CyTek is also one with a long history: The IT company provided high-quality services to Missouri Bank & Trust for more than 20 years, and the team’s expertise and efficiency were what initially caught Burcham’s eye.

“While in the banking business, I came to understand that IT security and support were the keys to our ability to deliver services safely and securely to our clients,” Burcham said. “No matter the size or industry of a company, the need for high-quality IT support and security is always present and increasingly important—and that service was what really prompted my interest in CyTek.”

CyTek’s expertise lies in servicing the legal sector, medical and dental practices, along with other industries, the company said. With its talented 11-member team, strong service offerings and longevity, the company is well-positioned for growth into other industries throughout the Kansas City market, Burcham, Tillman and Bernauer agreed.

“We don’t simply want to be a vendor for our clients,” Tillman said. “We want to be a natural extension of their team as their IT department so they can have peace of mind and focus where they want to, which is on their business. We want to be a peer to those we work with and to provide best-in-class service at a predictable cost.”

“I strongly believe in the importance of what we’re doing. Our attitude at Mobank was that we would provide the best and most innovative level of service in the region, and we’re going to continue to do that at CyTek,” Burcham added. “I believe if a business is going to pick a provider for security and support, we should be nothing less than the highest quality provider for that service in Kansas City.”