TMone has accomplished much in a short time

Because of the size of markets in the world today, consumers and producers are usually nothing more than mere abstractions to one another. The owner of a GPS or stereo system seldom considers the time and care that someone has put into developing and assembling all those complicated parts; workers punching a clock are often more concerned with getting back to their lives outside the factory than with imagining who will actually use the products they assemble.

A 75-member team at Rockwell Collins, however, always keeps in mind who will be using the handheld GPS units -- called DAGRs or Defense Advanced GPS Receivers -- they produce ("Army thanks Rockwell Collins," Feb. 24).

"We take special pride in knowing everything we do goes to our military," said Raejean Fairbanks, who has worked with Rockwell Collins for 15 years. "We work extra hard to make sure it works right because we know how important it is to the safety of our troops."

On Thursday, at Rockwell Collins' Coralville facility, the Cedar Rapids-based company celebrated the delivery of its 50,000th DAGR unit last month. During the ceremony, U.S. Army officers also thanked the workers for helping improve the awareness and capabilities of soldiers in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

The ceremony serves to remind everyone that there are human beings on both ends of the production and consumption spectrum.

TMONE has accomplished much in a short time It's hard not to be impressed with what John Burchert and Anthony Marlowe have accomplished in just a few years ("Vision and youth drive TMONE founders," Feb. 25). The two first met during a 1998 orientation seminar at the old Iowa City MCI call-center. At the time, they had no idea that their developing business relationship would outlast MCI's presence in Iowa City, let alone that they would expand their own company into that very location.

Now Burchert, 30, is the chief operating officer, and Marlowe, 26, is the president of TMONE. The direct marketing firm relocated from North Liberty in mid-February. By May, Burchert and Marlowe hope to add 200 employees and an additional 20 management positions.

We've previously editorialized that this move is positive for the community in that it replaces many of the jobs lost when MCI closed its call-in center ("TMONE's expansion means 200 jobs," Jan. 6). But it is just as important to celebrate that a technology company grown in the corridor has decided to remain in the corridor as it expands.

With a goal no less ambitious than "to bring Silicon Valley to the Midwest," Burchert and Marlowe make us optimistic about their company and about its continued role in our community. At least one of their employees has testified to the career opportunities offered by the company ("Worker happy with TMONE," Jan. 15), and we hope their success will provide more such opportunities for workers in our community.

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