Aaron Lamey (‘09) was a student at Christian Brothers High School when he learned about the Lasallian mission and officially joined the Catholic church.  

“The approach developed by De La Salle to address the inequity of educational opportunities in Reims [the French town where John Baptiste De La Salle was born and lived 37 years] constantly evolves to meet the needs of the day,” said Lamey. “That approach became my driving ecosystem. My world view became Lasallian.” 

Then and now, students complete service hours as part of their graduation requirements at CBHS. Lamey recalls setting up and installing Microsoft Windows on computers at Holy Names Catholic School in the Pinch District. He was drawn to work at schools that provided a Catholic education for neighborhood children at a very low cost.  

“That’s when it started to click,” said Lamey. “I realized that ‘living Lasallian’ was what we were supposed to do. There is need in the community, and I have talents to share.” 

After graduating from CBHS, Lamey and his twin sister, Jestein, both enrolled at CBU. Even though Lamey enjoyed working with computers, he didn’t excel at calculus or programming. It took some time, but he realized setting up reliable and robust networks was his lane. 

Instead of pursuing computer science, Lamey completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in English for Corporate Communications and Management. He then completed a Master of Science degree in Business Administration at another local university to diversify his training. 

He also kept and made good friends. He and Wilson Phillips, now CBU’s Administrative Coordinator for Student Affairs, attended CBHS and CBU at the same time. They rushed Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) together, drawn to the service-oriented aspects of fraternity life. 

“I’ve known Aaron for over 26 years,” said Phillips. “Whether classmates, fraternity brothers, colleagues, and now as National Alumni Board president, Aaron has always demonstrated a deep love for the Brothers and for CBU. Shaped by the Lasallian charism that Jesus lives in our heart forever, he has been a vocal champion, in the community, for the education that happens at the corner of East Parkway and Central.” 

“During our college years, Aaron and I spent countless hours together attending fraternity meetings, calling alumni to solicit donations for the annual fund, or driving to find a late-night dinner option,” Phillips added. “I remain grateful for the support he offered me despite my mobility challenges, the laughs shared, the ways he challenged me, and ultimately the ways he made me a better man.  In my mind, we aren’t just fraternity brothers — we are brothers.” 

During Lamey’s time as a college and graduate student, he worked in IT and as a network administrator at CBU, CBHS, UT Health Science Center and St. Louis Catholic School. His first boss was Brother Chris Englert, who was leading CBHS at that time as its CEO, and he worked alongside Marcello Donato, currently CBHS’s Director of Technology. 

“Aaron is truly a Lasallian at heart,” said Donato. “He loves teaching and learning and uses his time and efforts to make a real impact in the community. Just about every time I am in public with Aaron, we encounter former students or colleagues who are excited to see him. You can tell that he has a real impact on their lives.” 

For the past 12 years, Lamey has been an adjunct professor at CBU. He currently teaches Introduction to Management Information Systems in-person and hybrid. He also serves as CBU’s National Alumni Board President. 

In 2017, Lamey joined nonprofit Tech901, which provides affordable, targeted IT training tailored to address local hiring needs, as a Lead Instructor. He founded MemFi Networks, LLC, a managed service provider and local IT support provider two years later and has been the Executive Director of Tech901 since 2023. 

“My wife says, ‘You say, “Yes,” too many times,’” he said. 

“I am a lifelong cheerleader of the Lasallian worldview,” said Lamey. “Typically, when asked by friends and respected people to do something, I say, ‘Yes.” When asked to serve—as long as I have the bandwidth—I’m going to pick up that banner.” 

Lamey is busy, but the Lasallian mission continues to fuel him. He particularly embraces the principle of “community.”  

“In a world where we have access to all info at all times, the Lasallian model of learning is more relevant than ever,” he said. “We learn best together and by association. That’s how people grow personally and as a community.” 

Teaching—which was discovered by accident—is among his greatest joys. 

Lamey had no intentions of teaching when he pursued his master’s degree. His plan was to be a CIO, but one day when he was working at CBU, an instructor dropped out of the adult learning program. Lamey had the required credentials to teach the class, and he was asked to jump in.  

“Wow,” he recalled. “I think the first night I was hooked. Some students were three times my age. They really challenge you as an instructor to make every minute in the classroom relevant. You are held accountable for how you will change their lives.” Learn more about Lamey’s work and how it fulfills the Lasallian mission at www.tech901.org.