20 Years And The Garage Geeks Still Going Great.
7/3/2007
WARWICK, RI - July 7, 2007 - Hewlett and Packard. Jobs and Wozniak. Nault and Hebert. Famous tandems that all hatched ideas in a garage and were destined for greatness. Okay, so the Nault and Hebert duo aren't household names, but, for twenty years, they have, in their unique way, been synonymous with greatness.

What makes them great? Ask their hundreds of clients around New England. Question their employees. You may even ask their competitors. You'll find that these two exceptional businessmen and philanthropists are two of the hardest working and sincere people in the computer networking community. They are also the creators of Atrion Networking Corporation in Warwick, Rhode Island. Atrion turns twenty on July 7 th, 2007 and nobody could be prouder than these two former garage denizens. And, who would have thought they would make it to this exceptional milestone.

It all started in 1987 when the computer industry was literally changing over night. Computers, if you can remember back then, were still big, hulking boxes, more complex to figure out than a Rubik's cube. IBM had just introduced its PS/2, Microsoft Word was in its infancy, and Apple was still cutting it's teeth. It was all mind boggling back then to say the least. Charlie Nault knew his stuff and then some. And, he knew that computers, and their users, were going to be inextricably connected for years to come.

Charlie left his job to set up shop in his Coventry garage and was determined to blend the latest technology with old-fashioned values of hard work, combined with a passion for service and devotion to his clients. To look back at that garage today, you would have seen tangles of wires and cords, manuals, monitors, and computer shells of every configuration and color, and Charlie immersed in piecing it all together to satisfy a clients need. The glow of the garage light shining well into the wee hours. It didn't take long for Charlie's formula to work and to see the business grow. Working round- the-clock hours to meet the demand, Charlie knew he needed help. Enter Tim Hebert through the large garage door opening. Tim had been working as a technical engineer for one of New England's leading data communications companies at the time, and knew he needed a different challenge and opportunity. Charlie's garage was a far cry from the banks of Boston's Charles River, but he saw something happening at the fledgling Atrion company that lit a spark in him.

The partnership was sealed in 1989, and the business soon took off. In the heyday of the late 80's, there was a plethora of start-up companies in the computer servicing arena. It seemed at the time that most anyone with a working knowledge of a computer, networking experience, some code writing skills, and maybe even a garage, was jumping into the business. But Atrion was already far out in front of the others at that time, looking at the future of technology and understanding its impact on business. Atrion's unique understanding that business was the driving force of technology drove companies developing the new software and hardware, that would soon dominate the landscape, to Atrion's door. These companies were looking for experienced partners that could deliver a reliable source of service and training for their products, and they found a stalwart partner in Atrion. Nault and Hebert were expanding the scope of their business and changed the name from Atrion Communications Resources, to, Atrion Networking Corporation, to more adequately reflect the nature of their business, and to position themselves as technical leaders.

By the early 1990's, Atrion began delivering value to clients through its unique blend of product and service offerings, while closely mapping products and services to its clients' needs and priorities-such as productivity, cost savings, return on investment and efficiency improvements. Atrion also began getting noticed by the major hardware and software developers globally, who all gave Atrion top-priority in training and product roll-outs. Customers were coming to Atrion, not only in alarming numbers, but also in size. It wasn't long before the likes of AOL Time Warner, KB Toys, Polaroid Corporation, even the Ghanaian Government were knocking on the door. Of course by this time, the garage had been given back to the autos that had once inhabited that space. Atrion had by then moved into it's current location in Warwick to handle the growing business. Ironically, the building was a former shipping distribution center, with of course, several garage bays.

The steady growth continued through the nineties, and the technical level of expertise and personal client services continued to mold the direction of the company. Then, what was then the dreaded "Y2K" scare came at the beginning of the new millennium. If nobody really considered the value of their network at the time, this scenario made IT mangers and others realize the importance of protecting their systems, and their valuable data. Security became the hot topic, and was manifested even more so after the horrific incidents of 9/11. Atrion not only was prepared for this paradigm shift in the industry, but they also took a proactive stance in assuring their clients would be safe and protected. Working with their premier vendors, Atrion instituted some of the most advanced network monitoring and servicing products in the area, which vaulted their reputation not only regionally, but nationally.

But as their business grew and changed, Charlie and Tim never lost focus of their core identity. The amount of time they spent on giving back to the community grew ten fold. Nault is Treasurer and Founding Board Member of the Information Technology Academy, which teaches Cisco classes in Rhode Island high schools. His high level of social consciousness has benefited the community in which Atrion employees and clients reside. Nault serves on the External Relations Committee for the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) Foundation, is part of the missions team at Christian Hill Community Church and is the Executive Director of the Artic Mission, an inner-city relief organization in West Warwick, RI. Charlie also is an Ambassador for the CEO Club International's Boston Chapter and is a founding member of the CEO Club of Rhode Island. Tim serves on numerous technical councils for such manufacturers as Cisco Systems, RSA Security, Silverback Technologies, Packeteer and as Vice Chairman of 1Nservice, a national seven-layer integrator. Tim is the chairman and president of the Tech Collective. A non-profit organization focused on serving the technology industry in Rhode Island. He is a member of the Rhode Island FIRST state steering committee and a member of the Rhode Island FIRST executive Advisory Board. He is also a member of the Rhode Island Economic Policy Council, as well as other civic organizations.

Turning twenty, to most people, is about maturing, not necessarily aging. Atrion has certainly matured over their twenty year existence. The rapid changes of the business, the evolution and speed of the internet and email, the variety and diversity of communications equipment and software, the list of wholesale changes goes on. Arguably, the network and communications industry has seen more changes over the past 20 years than any other industry sector, hands down.

The fact that Atrion has not only succeeded as a business, but more importantly, has held true to its identity, is something that should be recognized as a Rhode Island success story. If one where to roam the corridors of Atrion today, they would feel that same spirit that was created twenty years ago in Charlie's garage, an intense focus on client solutions tempered with a spirit of fun and camaraderie.

"As I think about the last 20 years," said Nault, reflecting on the anniversary, "I'm most proud of our making 'big bets' on people and technologies and watching them grow into something people rely on every day. "

Hebert adds, "We're more excited than ever about the opportunities ahead. We have an amazing pool of talent within Atrion, our client base, and our partner companies. With our 20-year heritage of delivering high-level client service, in tandem with our innovations in client service, we're in a great position to provide businesses and organizations with the people and services they need to maximize their potential."

About Atrion

Atrion specializes in the fusion of business and technology. Organizations across New England rely on Atrion to accelerate their business through customized technology solutions. Atrion's team of specialists are trained to look at the entire business and to design technology solutions that are specifically suited to a business' unique needs. Atrion offers a full array of technology services including consulting and management services, project management, manufacturer certified training, carrier services, telephony, equipment procurement and local and wide area network implementation.



For information about Atrion Networking Corporation visit: www.atrion.net

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