About TESSCO

1952

• The Towson Engineering Sales and Service Company is founded.
• The Company specializes in electronic equipment and installs the first engine to caboose two-way railroad radio.

1982

• Chairman, President & CEO Robert B. Barnhill, Jr., re-founded TESSCO as the Your Total Source® supplier to the then-fledgling mobile radio industry – supplying the base antenna system used in the second cellular build-out in 1983.

1989

• The TESSCO Buyer's Guide™ is first published. While other suppliers elect to segment their reference materials by manufacturers – or simply to rely on price sheets and product literature provided by the manufacturer – TESSCO is the first and only company to organize similar products by competing manufacturers to facilitate comparative shopping.

1993

• The Wireless Journal®, an 8-page news and product review for the wireless communications industry, is first published. Today, this industry-leading trade print publication includes 36-pages of valuable product news and reviews, as well as articles on technical applications and significant industry trends. It is one of the most-read publications in the wireless industry with more than 115,000 copies circulated on a bi-monthly basis. The publication is also available online, and as a browser-based, interactive PDF version.

1994

• TESSCO combines engineering, radio communications, as well as supply chain, marketing, and customer service disciplines, to become a publicly-held corporation on the NASDAQ Stock Market (Nasdaq:TESS) on September 28th.

1995

• TESSCO Magic™, a software application featuring the same product information as the Buyer's Guide, is introduced – offering online order capabilities.
• Forbes names TESSCO one of 200 Best Small Companies in America; TESSCO wins the wholesale distribution rights to an exclusive satellite telephone network: America Mobile Satellite Corporation’s Skycell
• Chairman, President & CEO Robert B. Barnhill, Jr Barnhill received the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Maryland

1996

• TESSCO acquires Cartwright Communications, Inc., a supplier of wireless communications products based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
• Relocation of the distribution function into a new 156,000 square foot “Global Logistics Center” is accomplished without a day’s interruption in service.

1997

• TESSCO consolidates its operations in the Global Logistics Center, the company's 184,000 square foot headquarters in Hunt Valley, Maryland.
• TESSCO is registered as an ISO 9002 company, ensuring that its business operations conform to internationally accepted quality standards for production, installation and servicing.

1998

• TESSCO launches TESSCO.com™, the most innovative and effective business-to-business knowledge, transaction and service site in the wireless communications industry.

1999

• TESSCO opens a small Sales & Distribution Center in Reno, Nevada to serve the western states with 1 to 3 day delivery. 
• TESSCO.com™ is recognized by Interactive Week as one of the country’s leading business-to-business e-commerce Web sites.

2000

• The year is marked by the achievement of a significant goal – the conversation of its entire product data file to the Oracle-based WPKS.
• TESSCO significantly advances the deployment of Web-based e-commerce.

2001

• The Buyer’s Guide gets a new name – The TESSCO Solutions Guide® - representing an improved look and the combination of products and services presented in custom-configured packaging.

2002

• TESSCO is registered as an ISO 9001:2000 company.
• Focus shifts away from growth, to one of recovery and rebuilding when a flood damages much of the Hunt Valley, MD-based sales offices and distribution center on October 12th. Despite many obstacles, TESSCO is opened for business 24 hours later and completes its 4th quarter with revenues growing 10% to a record $273.9 million.
• TESSCO acquires a new facility in Reno, Nevada – the Americas Logistics Center – further increasing its capacity and strategic positioning to support customers in the Western United States, Mexico and Canada.
• First of consecutive times for which TESSCO is rated by Advertising Age as a “Top 100 Catalogue Company” – for its production of the TESSCO Solutions Guide®.

2003

• TESSCO’s Americas Sales & Logistics Center “comes online” on June 2nd – providing a platform for the growth of TESSCO’s market development and sales teams, helping to acquire and serve new customers, and extend the total logistics capacity.
• New pricing program is also introduced in the 4th quarter to simplify the customer buying experience and enhance TESSCO’s lowest total cost value proposition.
• Government sales increase, resulting in the award of various significant GSA contracts.

2004

• TESSCO achieves record financial results – revenues, profits, orders delivered, and the number of customers served all show growth and strength. For the fiscal year, revenues grow by 29% to a record $352.7 million.
• TESSCO begins to cultivate relationships with leading manufacturers in China for its direct international sourcing initiative. Today, TESSCO focuses on managing its total supply chain by efficiently buying in bulk from China, while adding value via U.S.-based product design, custom packaging, assembly and distribution.

2005

• Sales total $513 million, a full 45% increase over sales of $352 million in fiscal year 2004.
• TESSCO® Solutions Guide, the most complete product catalogue in the wireless industry, where you’ll find more than 25,000 products from more than 350 world-class manufacturers, rates 45th by Multi-Channel Merchant Magazine (MCM) for top print channel.
• TESSCO provides emergency recovery efforts for Hurricane Katrina victims with significant financial support, as well as a 24/7 SOS program that reconnected communications for emergency response groups.

2006

• In April, TESSCO acquires TerraWave Solutions and GigaWave Technologies, leading suppliers of WLAN proprietary products and training programs – introducing the Company to a large set of wireless users and resellers.
• TESSCO receives the Maryland Chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) 2006 Deal of the Year Award for its April acquisition of TerraWave Solutions and GigaWave Technologies.
• TESSCO is awarded a contract with the Maryland Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to provide state and participating local government agencies with wireless communication hardware equipment.
• Chairman, President & CEO Robert B. Barnhill, Jr. receives the prestigious Maryland 2006 International Business Leadership Award from the World Trade Institute, in recognition of his contributions as a major employer and contributor to Maryland’s economy and the local community, as well as his leadership and vision in the international wireless technology marketplace.
• TESSCO.com receives the Silver Web Winner – Syndicated/Co-op Award from Multi-Channel Merchant Magazine (MCM).