Winsupply Protects Financial Data and Acquisition Details with Virtru’s User-Friendly Platform
"We appreciate things that aren't very high maintenance. And we can trust the Virtru team at your word: When we need help or need something, you show up full force, help us address it, and then let us get back to doing the daily work that we need to do."
Stacey Windatt
Information Security Analyst
Winsupply, a nationwide wholesale distributor for HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and other specialty industries, champions a philosophy of entrepreneurship and opportunity. With an emphasis on ownership and team investment, the company regularly acquires new businesses while ensuring secure collaboration across its growing network.
Faced with the challenge of protecting sensitive information, across multiple domains and user groups, Winsupply turned to Virtru to provide seamless, user-friendly encryption that even non-technical employees could easily adopt.
The Result
With Virtru, Winsupply has achieved:
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Simplified security workflow that integrated seamlessly with Google Workspace, eliminating friction for non-technical users while maintaining strong protection for sensitive data
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Automatic policy enforcement that provides peace of mind to a busy IT security team, helping prevent accidental data exposure while maintaining operational efficiency.
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Encrypting financial data, PII, and acquisition details with Virtru for Gmail and Virtru Secure Share, deployed to the payroll, finance, and IT teams.
Switching from Proofpoint Encryption to Virtru
Stacey Windatt, Information Security Analyst at Winsupply, had firsthand experience with Virtru through the company's partnership with Chase Bank. "I've used it a lot with them, and it's just very straightforward, seamless, easy to use," said Windatt. "There's not a lot to have to figure out or think through when you use the product."
When Winsupply migrated to Google Workspace, they were looking to replace their previous secure sharing platform, Proofpoint. Proofpoint required more education for users as well as consistent troubleshooting by the IT team when recipients had trouble accessing shared content. Windatt recommended Virtru to the payroll director based on her positive experience, emphasizing its simplicity. "This is literally easy for anybody to use,” she said. “You don't need any technical background."
After reviewing Virtru's documentation and resources, the payroll director immediately saw the value. "She only had eyes for Virtru and didn't really want to look at any of the other products,” Windatt said. “She saw Virtru and was dead set on it: She said, ‘This is the one that I want for my team.’"
They briefly considered Google Confidential Mode, but found it created too much friction for non-technical users, while also requiring substantial setup and lacking the administrative controls the IT team needed for sensitive data governance.
Gmail Encryption and Secure File Sharing, Deployed in 30 Minutes
Implementation of Virtru for Gmail and Virtru Secure Share was remarkably simple, with Windatt noting that it took about 30 minutes, compared to the hours they spent evaluating configurations for Google’s native Confidential Mode security features. Before rolling out the platform, the IT team established policies and rules to automatically detect and protect sensitive information before it leaves the organization.
The initial deployment focused on the payroll team, which regularly handles sensitive employee information, PII, and communications with government entities. Adoption quickly expanded to include the IT security team and broader finance departments, with users praising the platform's simplicity.
"Everybody uses the Gmail plugin because it's simply so easy," Windatt explained. "There really isn't any thinking about it. It's just there, and you use it. Within the flow of work, there's no hiccup. It's easy to add that check in there and then go on with your day."
Streamlining Security for a Growing Business
For Winsupply's IT security team, Virtru has become an essential tool for protecting sensitive communications during daily operations and throughout the acquisition process. The platform's ease of use has been particularly valuable when working with local companies where the focus is on efficient, timely communication rather than security protocol.
"Throwing Virtru into the flow of work is very easy and no one has to think about it," said Windatt. "We appreciate things that aren't very high maintenance. And we can trust the Virtru team at your word: When we need help or need something, you show up full force, help us address it, and then let us get back to doing the daily work that we need to do."
By providing intuitive security that doesn't disrupt productivity, Virtru has allowed Winsupply to maintain strong protection for sensitive information while supporting the company's entrepreneurial spirit and continued growth.
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