Meet Your Instructors
Kevin Rougeau, Instructor
In 1997, Kevin learned HVAC by attending the classes he now teaches. He immediately began working as a technician upon completion of these courses. In 2001, he acquired his contractor's license and started his own HVAC business. He mastered the HVAC system and became an excellent technician and a leader in the trade. In 2003, he incorporated his business and became Rougeau, Inc. in Memphis, TN. In 2014, he moved to East Tennessee and began operating as East TN Heat & Air. He operated and managed his HVAC business for more than 20 years.Â
Tennessee Valley Technical Programs was established in 1994. In 2009, Kevin joined forces with Tennessee Valley Technical Programs and began teaching courses part-time while still operating his heating and air business. He sold the assets of East TN Heat & Air in 2018 and now enjoys spending more time helping others learn the HVAC trade through Tennessee Valley Technical Programs.
Dennis W. Mayes, Founder
Dennis Mayes began his teaching/training career over five decades ago. Even as a teenage soldier, he was asked to train other soldiers in military maneuvers.
In the early 60s, he began teaching Air Conditioning for large organizations and companies and spent twelve years teaching his own HVAC "agenda" at a local community college. Because of his unique teaching ability, he had the highest ratings of all the instructors and often had to fill multiple unscheduled classes.
He decided that he could actually train technicians faster than the required semesters at college, so he quit the college and put together his three-day classes on the Sealed System and Electrical components of Air Conditioning. Thus began Tennessee Valley Technical Programs.
He also covered heat courses, such as Gas Furnaces and Heat Pumps. Another unique class he taught for a while was on Soldering and tubing fabrication, where he taught the technician the correct solders and temperatures to use on the units and ways to fabricate the copper to keep from having so many soldering joints.
In 1993, he knew that Technicians needed to be certified to handle refrigerants, so he applied for and received authorization from the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to test and certify individuals to handle refrigerants. He was entered into the federal registry.
Going back a few years, in November 1972, he became a private pilot and loved flying so much; he continued his education to become a Commercial Pilot in July 1974, then on to become a flight instructor in May 1976. Again, his students said he made learning to fly easy to do and understand.
Over thirty years ago, Dennis was asked to join Menza because of the high IQ score he received on their test, which determined how well he uses deductive reasoning.  He has incorporated that important teaching tool into his classes to inspire the technicians to not be just "part changers" but to use deductive reasoning in determining the cause of a unit not working properly.
He teaches in a way that anyone can understand and has helped technicians improve their confidence and skills. Many of his former students have checked back with him and thanked him for the success they were enjoying because of his training.
He also allows those he trained to place a hotline call to him, free of charge, and helps them diagnose and fix a problem that they have trouble resolving.
Several students have said one thing they admire about Dennis Mayes is how knowledgeable he is and how willing he is to share his expertise and knowledge.
