Tech9 Announces Planned Leadership Transition, Appoints Jeff Conley as CEO
Tech9
Founder Nick Stice transitions to Chairman of the Board as Tech9 positions for its next chapter of growth in agentic engineering and AI-accelerated delivery.
Tech9 today announced a planned leadership transition as Founder and CEO Nick Stice steps into the role of Chairman of the Board. Jeff Conley, currently serving as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, will assume the role of Chief Executive Officer effective May 1.
This deliberate transition comes as Tech9 enters a period of growth and expanding client demand, particularly around agentic engineering and AI-accelerated delivery. Conley's deep operational expertise and strong understanding of Tech9's business and clients position him to lead the company through the next chapter — while maintaining continuity for existing client relationships, team culture, and strategic focus.
Stice, who founded and led Tech9 for over a decade, will remain full-time with the company through September and will continue working closely with Conley and the leadership team in his new role.
"This is a deliberate and well-planned step for our company. Leaders have different strengths, and companies have different stages that match those strengths. I have full confidence in Jeff's ability to lead the company forward."
— Nick Stice, Founder & Chairman of the Board
As COO and CFO, Conley played a key role in shaping company execution and continued success — from early formation and board participation to implementing the operating frameworks that strengthened profitability and performance.
"I'm honored to step into the CEO role and build on the foundation Nick and the team have created. Tech9 is in a strong position, and we will continue delivering exceptional value to our clients, supporting our team, and executing on the opportunities ahead to expand our capabilities in agentic engineering and continue our evolution as an AI-native company. I'm excited to continue building something that will endure."
— Jeff Conley, Chief Executive Officer
Additional leadership changes
Alongside this transition, several internal promotions reflect the continued evolution of Tech9's leadership team:
- Dustin Taylor has been promoted to VP of Delivery.
- Founder Bill Rappleye transitions from CTO to Chief Solutions Architect—bringing his technical vision into a client-facing advisory capacity.
- Stefhanie Iliff is now Revenue Team Lead.
- Chelsey Sperry becomes Head of Global HR.
Matt Beynon continues as CPO, Craig Jackson as VP of Engineering, Mike Fralick as Director of Recruiting, and Rebecca Shiew as Controller.
The values, client relationships, and strategic direction that have defined Tech9's success remain at the center of everything we do.
Read the official press release:
