The Big Picture in Narrow Times

It's hard to think about large issues in a tight econony. But I'd like to step back and consider the big picture of CHCS, and how, more than ever, we are well-positioned to help businesses and nonprofit organizations survive and grow.

I founded CHCS almost twenty-five years ago. Its focus has changed a lot over the years, but its fundamental mission remains the same: to bridge the gap between "the real world" and the increasingly-sophisticated technologies on which we all depend to tell our stories.

I have been lucky to be able to build on liberal-arts degrees, and learn technical skills informally. I hung out with electrical-engineering majors as an undergraduate (before computer-science degrees existed) and got to play with one of the two computers on campus. I learned word processing on my own after work, since only the secretaries got formal training. I learned audio production by being asked to teach the course -- and thanks to the younger brother of a friend who had taken it the previous year, I managed to stay one lesson ahead of the students (thanks, Joe!).

I learned customer service in my very first job at the age of fourteen, in a small-town bookstore. I learned to write clearly (I hope) from a professional who rid me of the bad habits picked up after years of being a student and a bureaucrat (thanks, Eleanor!). And I still use the skills I learned in the certificate program I took on how to train trainers -- although I laugh that we spent three days on how to create training materials with things like Prestype and overhead projectors.

Of course, technology changes ever more quickly, but communication skills -- telling stories, and presenting them attractively -- stay the same.

I am grateful to have worked with so many outstanding colleagues over the years, many of whom are much younger than I, and whose technical skills far surpass what I know. Long-time CHCS clients may remember Casey Haakenson, my first employee, who was responsible for getting us started with interactive websites and into web and email hosting; Ajit Jagdale, who refined our programming skills; and Christophe Bisciglia, who went on to fame and fortune.

Since 2000, I have had the great good fortune to work with Martin Potter, the programmer behind our very successful content management system, and Darren Coen, the graphic designer who makes creates the stunning visual appeal of our sites, and who has developed the tools that allow us to produce standards-compliant sites easily and quickly. We believe that our small team can produce sites that are every bit as effective as those developed by much larger (and more expensive) companies.

And I am also grateful to be able to partner with many people who have outstanding skillls and experience in related areas. People like Robert Smith, computer hardware, networking and backup; Scott Aitken, photography; Randall Cohen, logo design, animation and video production; Karen Anderson, writing and editing; Curt Harpold and Steve Lawson, voiceovers; and Josh Freeman, search engine optimization.

What do all of these folks have in common? They have proven skills, and their commitment to customer service is unsurpassed. They share with me an understanding that small companies such as ours can provide services and insights that are the equal of bigger competitors, and personal service that large companies can never match.

Despite our attention to individual service, CHCS spends a lot of time evaluating the latest tools and technologies, and implementing them when we see the benefit to our clients. This blog is where you can find out about the tools we like.

In fact, one of the advantages of being a small organization is the ability to deploy the latest technologies quickly. We can, and do, change our offerings to suit current conditions. But the mission of CHCS has not changed in nearly twenty-five years: we help organizations use the technologies needed to communicate effectively.

Thanks to you, our clients and friends, for trusting us to do our best work for you. We look forward to continuing that relationship for many years in the future.