"This is the longest I’ve been with one company in my professional career, and there’s a reason for that. Even if we only impacted the life of one Memphian in a year, I would still want to do what I do at Tech901.” - Steve Denegri, CFO/COO of Tech901
Ten years ago, Steve Denegri sat down with longtime friend Robert Montague to imagine a bold new future for their city. Both men carried decades of experience in business and community leadership. But more than strategy or skill, what bonded them that day was a shared belief that Memphis deserved better opportunities and that tech could be the key to unlocking them.
In 2015, Memphis was one of the five poorest cities in America. Yet technology was bustling with potential. The challenge? For too many Memphians, access to that industry felt impossible. Tech training was expensive. Online programs were unstructured. And those making career shifts, the learning curve could feel steep and lonely.
“Memphis has always struggled with workforce development,” Steve said. “We kept asking: What if we could bring the support and structure of a traditional classroom to people who never thought tech could be for them?
At the time, Steve’s background in business and engineering—sharpened during the dot-com boom—gave him a front-row seat to the rapid evolution of technology. He worked on client-server computing and data storage, and he knew firsthand how quickly the world was changing. But he also understood that change only mattered if it included everyone.
So the planning began. Steve and Robert mapped out a vision: what to teach, how to teach it, and where. They leaned on relationships, reachout to leaders like FedEx CIO Rob Carter to understand the real needs of local employers. Conversations with ProTech’s Steve Bargiocchi helped shape the certification focus—CompTIA’s A+ certification became the foundation, chosen not just for its industry value, but for how it could open doors to first jobs in tech.
“We knew the curriculum,” Steve said. “But the bigger question was: Who do we teach—and how do we reach them?”
The clarity didn’t come instantly. Initial classes with local youth programs revealed a truth that would shape Tech901’s future: the people most ready for this training weren’t just students, they were adults. Workers. Parents. Professionals seeking new starts. A partnership with the University of Memphis brought in business students and classroom space, offering a powerful complement to academic theory: practical, hands-on learning that led to jobs.
By the summer of 2016, Tech901 launched its first major cohort at the FedEx Institute of Technology, drawing high schoolers, college students, and working adults alike. That first class wasn’t just a success, it was a proof of concept. Students earned certifications. Lives began to shift. Employers began to pay attention.
From there, the curriculum grew—adding networking, security, and software development—and eventually found a permanent home at Crosstown Concourse. The space itself mirrored the spirit of Tech901: vibrant, central, and full of second chances. With accessible parking and a welcoming feel, Crosstown became not just a location, but a launching pad.
And then came the pandemic.
COVID-19 could have derailed it all. But Tech901 adapted overnight, pivoting to virtual learning thanks to its tech-savvy foundation and a nimble team. Demand for IT roles surged—especially in remote support—and students with newly earned certifications found themselves not just job-ready, but sought-after.
“It was a blessing in disguise,” Steve said. “Our students gained a skill set the world suddenly needed—and they stepped into those roles with confidence.”
The pandemic didn’t just test Tech901’s resilience. It also crystallized its next evolution: becoming data-driven. Internal analysis showed that students with A+ certification could see a 15–30% income boost—and that stacking credentials like Network+ and Security+ could amplify those gains. This insight inspired the launch of Tech Essentials, a 4-week intro course designed to let students “try on” tech before fully committing.
It also sparked CareerHub, a virtual platform that connects grads directly with employers.
“We’ve been a supply-side organization for 10 years,” Steve said. “Now, we’re building the demand side too—closing the loop from training to hiring.”
For Steve, it all comes back to people:
“Even if it’s just one person whose life we change—that’s enough,” he shared. “That’s why I’m still here.”
That “one person” could be a young mom getting her first IT role, a warehouse worker pivoting to remote tech support, or a Tech901 grad coming back to hire the next wave of talent. And for every success story, Steve feels the same way: grateful, humbled, and ready to keep going.
Beyond the personal fulfillment, Steve sees Tech901 as a powerful economic engine. With an estimated 8-to-1 return on investment based on student income growth, the impact reaches far beyond individual stories—it touches neighborhoods, families, and the city as a whole.
“I want to see companies say, not just ‘we hired someone from Tech901,’ but ‘our team lead, our rising star—that’s a Tech901 alum,’” Steve said.
The vision for the next decade? Stronger employer partnerships. More graduates. More lives transformed. And a Memphis workforce that reflects the full potential of its people.
Thank you, Steve, for being the steady force behind a movement that’s redefining what’s possible—one Memphian at a time.