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. 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.