When students talk about “learning business” at De La Salle Collegiate, they’re just as likely to mention competitions, guest speakers, and real-world scenarios as they are quizzes and tests. That’s by design – and at the center of it all is business teacher and DECA advisor Mr. Dennis Koch ’94.

 

Over the last several years, Koch has helped transform De La Salle’s DECA chapter from a small club into one of the school’s most dynamic student organizations, blending classroom learning with hands-on leadership, competition, and community partnerships.

 

A Pilot Who Came Home to Teach
A 1994 graduate of De La Salle, Koch returned to his alma mater after a successful career in sales and marketing with Coca-Cola. He initially joined the Business Department in 2004, teaching Accounting, Economics, and computer courses, and later developed both the International Baccalaureate Business curriculum and the AP Economics curriculum.

 

After several years serving as Director of Alumni Relations – where he launched professional alumni associations, planned giving efforts, and popular alumni golf leagues – Koch returned to the classroom in 2024 to teach Accounting, Entrepreneurship/Marketing, and Introduction to Business. 

 

“I genuinely love teaching,” Koch has said. “I went to school to get an education degree so that I could have a positive impact on young people’s lives.”

 

Koch, who did his undergraduate studies at Michigan State University, has earned two master’s degrees: in Economics from the University of Detroit Mercy and Education from Saginaw Valley State University. 

 

From Small Club to Record-Setting DECA Team
Koch started the DECA club at De La Salle roughly a decade ago. Each year since, the chapter has grown in both size and success.

Recent years have been especially impressive. For the 2024–25 school year, De La Salle sent 46 students to district competition – the largest DECA team in school history, including 26 seniors, 8 juniors, 3 sophomores, and 9 freshmen.

 

“I’m very happy the program has grown,” Koch shared. “The students are working hard for the competition and learning a lot, but they are also having fun.”

 

That hard work has translated into results: DLS students have earned multiple state championships, with at least one Pilot advancing to the International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in Anaheim, California in 2024.

 

In January 2025, the chapter was honored with DECA’s Achievement Level Chapter Campaign recognition, placing De La Salle among a select group of high-performing chapters nationwide in membership growth, engagement, and outreach.

 

“We are incredibly proud and grateful for the outstanding dedication and effort that led to this DECA Achievement Level Campaign award,” Koch noted, emphasizing that his students are “working tirelessly to win Districts and States and are having fun while doing it.”

 

Koch talks about DECA the way a coach talks about a varsity sport. In fact, as the head coach of De La Salle’s varsity golf team, he knows exactly how powerful a team culture can be.

To build that same atmosphere in DECA, Koch has introduced:

He wants DECA to feel like more than a club – he wants it to feel like a team of young professionals learning, competing, and serving together.

Real-World Partnerships and Professional Coaching
One of the hallmarks of Koch’s leadership is his ability to connect students with real-world professionals.

 

De La Salle’s DECA program has a growing partnership with Christian Financial Credit Union (CFCU). The credit union not only provides financial support, but its staff also work directly with students through interactive role-plays, one-on-one coaching, and scenario-based practice.

 

CFCU’s education team has praised the collaboration, noting that it helps students build confidence, sharpen communication skills, and develop leadership and problem-solving abilities that will serve them well beyond DECA.

 

Koch has also launched “Pilot Perspectives,” a monthly guest speaker series, inviting successful alumni back to campus to share their career paths and advice. In one recent event, alumnus Gene Bitonti ’93, now an investment banker and Pilot dad, spoke with students about striving not just for “good,” but for “great” – and eventually “exceptional” – in their lives and careers. If you'd like to speak to our business students, please contact Dennis at dkoch@delasallehs.com.

Beyond DECA: A Business Education That Extends Across Campus
DECA is just one piece of Koch’s broader vision for business education at De La Salle. In addition to leading DECA, he has established the school’s annual participation in the Federal Reserve Challenge, giving students another opportunity to apply economics and finance in a competitive, real-world context.

 

On the athletic side, he brings the same data-driven, growth-mindset approach to the golf program, using technology like the TrackMan simulator to help players analyze and improve their swings while also emphasizing character, academics, and leadership.

Forming Future Leaders “in the Light of Faith”
Whether he’s in the classroom teaching marketing concepts, in the hallway organizing alumni speakers, on the bus heading to a DECA competition, or at the golf simulator breaking down a swing, Dennis Koch is doing what Lasallian educators do best: forming young men for college, career, and life.

 

Under his guidance, DECA at De La Salle has become more than a line on a college application. It’s a training ground for:

As the DECA chapter continues to grow in size, recognition, and impact, one thing is clear: the program’s success is a direct reflection of the commitment, creativity, and Lasallian heart of its advisor, Mr. Dennis Koch ’94.