Article

MontegoNet celebrates 10-year anniversary

The waters weren't always calm for the decade-old kiosk company, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in April.

May 16, 2006

The author is editor ofselfservice.org.

The party was a few minutes drive from the office, but it took ten years to arrive.

MontegoNet employees partied at Pop, a swanky deco bar on Broadway in Newport, R.I., celebrating the company's tenth anniversary. Employees, their families, business partners and well-wishers stopped by the upscale juice joint on the evening of Apr. 28 to toast the company's success late into the night.

MontegoNet chief executive officer Thomas Smith said, a decade before, he and a partner manufactured free-standing displays for stores.

"We thought it would be neat to add a touchscreen," Smith said.

The resulting company specialized in Internet kiosks that, in the late 90s, were a revolutionary concept. Family friend Susan DeAngelis, a marketing professional from Newport, R.I., remembered when MontegoNet got its name.

"Meggin and Tom went to Jamaica, Montego Bay, on their honeymoon," DeAngelis said. "And it wasn't too long after they got back that he started planning the business. Some of the first models had similar names, like The Kingston.

"I'm not surprised (MontegoNet) lasted ten years. Tom is extremely hard-working and dedicated. He gives 100 percent to his personal life and business. People like doing business with him."

One of those people is Kevin Kent, director of business development for Swecoin, the Swedish printer manufacturer with an office close to MontegoNet's that sells them hundreds of printers annually. Kent came to congratulate Smith on behalf of his company.

"MontegoNet has been a long-time customer," Kent said. "We're in close proximity to them. We work on a lot of projects. Tom's a great guy too."

In 1997, Macy's bought half a dozen kiosks - their breakthrough kiosk deployment. MontegoNet converted their existing Web site for product information and wayfinding. A year later, Smith proposed a kiosk project for 3.1 million square foot Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. At the time, MontegoNet employed exactly two people - including Smith.

"The best day had to be the day we got the Washington deal," Smith said. "I still remember doing it. I met with a general contractor at the Ronald Reagan Building. I got grilled on a bunch of questions and I walked out with him. He said I got the job and I went from $100,000 per year to a $500,000 contract."

Some times were rougher than others. Meggin recalled how the company almost missed payroll once and barely squeaked by. Smith remembered parting ways with his original manufacturing partner, for whom producing custom kiosks was difficult and less efficient than mass production. And hard personnel decisions also don't sit well with the easy-going CEO.

"Everybody I work with is pretty close," Smith said. "My worst day was when I had to fire my first employee. I think I took it harder than he did."

Smith sees a bright future ahead.

"We're doing really well," he said. "At this rate, we'll triple what we did last year."