By Tom Marien, CPA,MBA, CVA and Marcia L. Marien, CPA

The following highlights and facts are from 1980 as our firm started its operations:

• Cost of a first class stamp: $0.15 –Compared to $0.37 today
• Bill Gates licenses MS-DOS for the first personal computers
• Ronald Reagan was elected President ending Jimmy Carter’s term
• Ted Turner develops CNN as the first all news network
• The country waits to find out “Who Shot JR?”
• “Kramer vs. Kramer” captured the Academy Award for Best Picture
• Album of the Year: “52nd Street” by Billy Joel
• Voyager I reached Saturn returning data on its moons and rings

We have many memories of our own over the last 25 years including fond memories of being in downtown Norwich for 22 years. We started our firm in the Thayer Building before moving to three different locations on “lower” Main Street. We miss walking down the street and greeting each of our neighbors on the way to the Beverly Tea Room, the Cranston Company, Norwich Savings Society or Reid and Hughes. We do not miss preparing tax returns by hand, using carbon paper for W-2s, 5-1/4 inch floppy disks and ledger paper.

Thank you to our many loyal clients who have allowed us to serve as their “trusted advisor” over the past 25 years. We smile when you pay off the mortgages and bonds that we can remember working with you to obtain. We take pride in the role we have played in helping your businesses grow and become more successful. And now, in many cases we are very pleased to continue to earn your respect as you refer your children and grandchildren to our firm.

Over the years, many of our clients became wonderful mentors to us. As we worked with you, we also learned many great lessons from you. These experiences helped us to become the business people, employers, community servants and professionals that we are today.

Thank you to the accounting and support staff who have joined us in the journey.

We are proud of our first 25 years and we look forward to the next 25 years with excitement and optimism. Thank you again for your support and contributions to Marien + Company.