26 years of protecting Chicago businesses — and the people behind them
KBCSI was founded in 2000 with a simple belief: small and mid-sized businesses deserve the same quality of IT support and security as enterprises — without enterprise complexity. That belief still drives everything we do.
Our story
Built in Chicago. Still here 26 years later.
Kiev C. Brownlee founded KB Consulting Services, Inc. in 2000 with a conviction that Chicago’s growing businesses were being underserved by IT providers who either focused exclusively on large enterprises or treated small business clients as an afterthought.
Over the next two and a half decades, KBCSI built a reputation in Chicago’s financial services, security, and professional services communities — not through advertising, but through results and relationships. Clients who came to us with a single IT problem stayed for years. Some have been with us since the beginning.
As the threat landscape evolved, so did KBCSI. We expanded from managed IT into cybersecurity, penetration testing, business continuity, physical security, and compliance support — building a comprehensive program that protects clients from every angle.
When one of our longest-standing financial services clients opened a new office in London, KBCSI managed the entire IT setup remotely — extending our Chicago relationship internationally without missing a beat.
— Kiev C. Brownlee, Founder & Principal, KBCSI
Our team
The people behind your technology
KBCSI is a boutique operation by design. Every client works directly with our principals — not a rotating cast of junior technicians.
Kiev founded KBCSI in 2000 and has spent 26 years building expertise in managed IT, infrastructure, and technology strategy for Chicago’s financial services, security, and professional services firms. He serves as the primary relationship manager for all KBCSI clients — personally involved in every engagement from onboarding through ongoing support.
Some of Kiev’s client relationships span more than a decade. When a long-standing financial services client expanded internationally, Kiev managed the London office IT setup remotely under a single ongoing agreement.
Richard brings certified penetration testing expertise to KBCSI’s cybersecurity practice. He conducts all penetration testing engagements — external, internal, wireless, social engineering, and web application assessments — and personally signs every attestation letter.
Richard’s cybersecurity certification brings a level of technical depth to KBCSI’s security practice that most MSPs of any size cannot match.
How we work
The principles that guide every client relationship
Honesty over comfort
We tell clients what their environment actually looks like. If something is a risk, we say so. Our clients trust us because we’ve never told them what they wanted to hear at the expense of what they needed to know.
Relationships over transactions
Most of our clients have been with us for years. We know their businesses, their teams, and their IT environments deeply. Every engagement is the beginning of a long-term partnership.
Accountability without excuses
When something goes wrong — and in IT, something always eventually does — we own it. Our clients never hear “that’s not our problem” from KBCSI.
Security as a mindset
Security isn’t a product we sell — it’s how we think about every decision we make. Every tool, configuration, and change is evaluated through a security lens first.
Boutique scale, enterprise quality
Every client gets our full attention — not diluted across hundreds of accounts managed by a call center. We use enterprise-grade tools because our clients deserve it.
Chicago roots, global reach
We were built in Chicago and we are part of this community. From managing offices in Fort Lauderdale to standing up infrastructure in London, KBCSI goes where our clients go.
Community
Rooted in Chicago — committed to the community
KBCSI has been part of the Chicago community for 26 years. We believe businesses have an obligation to invest in the communities they operate in — through engagement, mentorship, and support for the organizations that make Chicago stronger.
We are also committed to supporting the next generation of technology professionals in Chicago through mentorship, internship opportunities, and community engagement.
What our clients say
26 years of relationships — in their words
“Kiev has been our IT partner for over a decade. He knows our business as well as anyone on our team. When we expanded to London, he handled everything — we didn’t have to think about the technology at all.”
“What sets KBCSI apart is that Kiev actually tells us the truth. When we asked about a system that wasn’t worth the cost, he told us not to buy it. That kind of honesty is rare in this industry.”
“Richard’s penetration test found things our previous IT vendor had missed for years. The report was clear for our board and detailed enough for our IT team. The attestation letter satisfied our insurer.”
Ready to work with a partner who’s still here 26 years later?
Start with a free assessment — no obligation, no pressure. Just an honest conversation about your technology and what KBCSI can do for your business.
Or call us: (773) 855-2155 — we answer.