By Farica Chang, Managing Principal
The story of Anderson Technologies is one woven of perseverance, optimism, and the ability to navigate through challenging times. Since our inception in 1995, we’ve been a beacon of support to individuals and businesses not just in St. Louis, Missouri, but far beyond. Our motivation is simple yet profound: to enrich the lives of our clients, our employees, and the communities we serve. As the proud leader of this organization, I am thrilled to share a glimpse into our 30-year journey, celebrating the milestones that have shaped us.
At the heart of Anderson Technologies are the people who make it all possible. The journey began with Amy and Mark Anderson, whose family values—integrity, hard work, and doing good—are the foundation of our company. Their story started in 1987, meeting while clearing lunch tables in the college cafeteria and discovering they had a shared vision for the future.
Starting their careers at McDonnell Douglas, Amy in 1988 and Mark in 1989, they decided to venture out on their own after honing their business experience at Fortune 1000 companies. On February 17, 1995, Anderson Technologies was founded as an IT consulting business. Greg Weber, a director at Southwestern Bell, recognized the “do right” spirit of the firm and placed Anderson Technologies on the preferred vendor list, marking the company’s first significant breakthrough. Amy quit a job she loved at Southwestern Bell managing a software development team to get the business up and running. She hired and placed the next seven employees in consulting positions at SBC while handling all the operations – bookkeeping, healthcare, timesheets, certification for woman-owned business, and much more.
Through the late 1990s, Amy gracefully balanced motherhood with her professional responsibilities, while Mark expanded our reach, placing consultants in major companies like MasterCard, AG Edwards, Edward Jones, and American Express Incentive Services. Our team grew to 25 by 2001, but the bursting of the dot-com bubble brought a new challenge.
However, Mark and Amy’s foresight ensured we were prepared. Transitioning from Fortune 1000 contracts to supporting SMB businesses and system administration, we adapted and thrived. The 2007-2008 financial crisis posed another test, but an opportunity to digitize a vast collection of documents for a client led to the birth of the division we call Anderson Archival today. This marked another pivotal shift, showcasing our resilience and innovative spirit.
I joined the team during this transformative project, initially working night shifts in the Andersons’ home office —a humble beginning that laid the groundwork for our future successes.
With this project, Anderson Archival was born, focusing on preserving historical documents and making them accessible in the digital age. This shift not only showcased our adaptability but also our commitment to innovation and excellence.
The following years were marked by significant growth and diversification. In 2016, we hired Luke Bragg as a lead senior Systems Administrator (now our CTO). We expanded our offerings to include managed services, cybersecurity, and technical project management, catering to an ever-growing clientele that now spans 30 states and counting. Our team’s dedication and expertise allow us to navigate through the rapidly evolving technological landscape, always staying ahead of the curve.
As Anderson Technologies continues to grow, key hires played crucial roles in shaping our direction and success. Lourens de Beer’s skills in cybersecurity and IT operations contributed heavily to our ability to provide robust solutions for our clients and deliver outstanding results. Rob Sanazaro brought his corporate business acumen to help us mature our business processes and strategy. Hadley Grow and Corbitt Grow, who both had thriving careers at AT&T, joined the team in 2022 as part of our family business transition to the second generation, contributing significantly to technical project management and business development initiatives. Their combined efforts have been instrumental in our ability to provide comprehensive technology solutions to a diverse and expanding clientele.
Today, Anderson Technologies stands as a testament to the power of resilience and forward-thinking. Our journey from a small consulting firm to a multi-faceted technology solutions provider is a story of vision, hard work, and an unwavering commitment to our values. We continue to thrive, driven by the same principles that guided Amy and Mark when they first started this journey.
As we celebrate this 30-year milestone, we look forward to the future with optimism and determination. We remain dedicated to enriching the lives of our clients, employees, and communities, always striving to make a positive impact through our work.
Thank you for being a part of our story. Here’s to many more years of success and innovation!
Anderson Technologies: Real People Creating Business-Changing IT Solutions
For 30 years, Anderson Technologies has leveraged our expertise for the benefit of our clients, supplying them with suitable, secure IT and strategic guidance for their technological future.
We’re a dynamic team of IT professionals with over 200 years of combined experience and specialist certifications to back up our knowledge. As a trusted advisor, we don’t just focus on today. We strive to take your technology light-years ahead of your competition and scale with your business’s success.
Ready to support your business’s longevity with IT? Contact us today to see how we can help.
