Our Purpose – by Richard Hirst

Hello Friends,

In 1991, nearly 30 years ago as I write this, I started my company, TASC (Technical & Assembly Services Corporation) in a small space in an Issaquah, Washington business park. At the time, all I had going for me was my knowledge of electronics and electronics assembly and a strong desire to help electronics manufacturers solve their problems. I wanted to use my skills to provide them with the electronic assemblies required for their products. Since then, with the help of my wife Maggi, we have grown our company steadily. Several times through the years we have had to locate to new and larger quarters to accommodate our client’s production requirements; and despite the current challenging times, we continue to expand. In looking all this over, I thought I would share with you some thoughts on what I believe is one of the most fundamental and important elements behind our success here at TASC, and that I believe underlies any successful group or business, and that is the element of the group’s or business’s PURPOSE. 

Before any organization, group or business came into existence, there was first an established purpose or goal; usually dreamed by one person, then agreed to by a core group; and ultimately embraced by many. If a business or group is to continue and expand into the future, that group’s purpose is the carrier wave that gets it there. Indeed, success for any business or group is defined, not necessarily by financial success, but by its success in striving for and attaining its goals and purposes. Financial success can and should be a consequence of this, and is necessary to persist and survive in a money-based economy. Rarely, however, is mere finance the goal or purpose of a truly successful business or organization.

When it comes to groups and businesses the above is incredibly important information, and is so true that one would have to consider “purpose” as an integral part of the definition of the word “organization.” All groups, organizations, businesses and even governments, whether the people involved know it or not, have a purpose. When you realize that the group’s purpose is the very reason for its existence, then you can understand how important it is; and you can understand as well why all the group’s or business’s members, employees, executives, and customers; and in the case of a government, its citizens, should know and understand its purpose. 

But, the group purpose is important for another reason as well. You see, fundamentally that purpose is the most SENIOR group policy, and from it are derived the key guidelines and operational customs that have proven successful in the accomplishment of the purpose. One could call these guidelines and customs the core policies and values of a group, and they, along with the purpose, literally describe and define the group’s personality; for, like people, groups and businesses, do have personalities. One can sense this personality on walking into a business and observing it for a bit. Is the place friendly? Are the staff efficient and service oriented? Do the employees grasp WHY they are there? Do they care? These are characteristics of that business’s personality, and they are an excellent indicator that the people working there do know and operate, or do not, according to that business’s basic purpose and core values.

Here at TASC we are very aware of this information on group purpose and its importance. Personally, I have worked hard to ensure that every employee here knows, understands, and operates according to our purpose and our core values. As a client, potential client or just an interested reader of this article, I want you to know and understand that purpose as well, and so am stating it for you here and now. The basic purpose of TASC is:

“TO HELP ELECTRONICS MANUFACTURING COMPANIES EVERYWHERE IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF THEIR GOALS THROUGH THE SPEEDY CREATION AND DELIVERY OF THE HIGH QUALITY ELECTRONIC ASSEMBLIES REQUIRED FOR THEIR PRODUCTS.”

To accomplish this purpose everyone at TASC is committed to our core values, which can be summed up as providing our clients in the electronics industry with FRIENDLY, ACCOUNTABLE, DEDICATED SERVICE and UNCOMPROMISING QUALITY of product. These characteristics are at the heart and soul of everything we do. When it gets right down to it, the best measure of our success, is your success, and we work very hard to ensure that is the case. Personally, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I am happy to have had the opportunity to share this information with you about the importance of “purpose” relative to groups, businesses and organizations, and, specifically, about our purpose and core values here at TASC. I hope you find the information useful in your life and business, and, should you need help with electronic assemblies of any kind for your products, don’t hesitate to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you.

My Very Best,

Richard Hirst
President and Founder
Technical & Assembly Service Corporation (TASC)