WAIT! May I have your attention for just one minute? I read recently that monthly newsletters are a thing of the past. If you enjoy receiving my newsletter, please demonstrate that by opening it. Thank you!
My goal for my monthly newsletter is three-fold – #1 – to stay in touch with you; #2 – to provide you with some kind of useful information; and #3 – to have some fun.
STAT Office Solutions is celebrating their 30th anniversary this year. WOW! You may remember 1985 – hair was big, fashions were garish, music was incredible, and Back to the Future was a big hit. AND – STAT Office Solutions opened its doors to serve the business community with a brand new executive office center. At that time, this was a very novel concept. Our clients ran their businesses out of our office space while dramatically reducing their costs through shared resources – reception, conference rooms, copy room, lavatories. The center manager took care of managing all vendor concerns for janitorial, telephone, heating, electric, plumbing, and even little things like coffee, keys, postage and light bulb replacement!
Since 1985, we have doubled our physical space and increased our client base many times over. We now serve clients from 30 states, 5 Canadian provinces, 40 countries and 6 continents with either physical office space or virtual office services. Our edge comes from our people – dedicated, hard-working, and ready to go the extra mile. We are thankful for every customer who has helped contribute to our growth and success by honoring us with the opportunity to serve them.
So, just for fun, my give back to you for this month is a trip down memory lane. Here are 30 special events from 1985 which you may either remember or may have had an impact on your business or personal life. Enjoy! But WAIT! If you wish just skip to the end for a special treat!
1 – The eastern half of North America was hit with an exceptionally cold winter – sound familiar?
2 – The first mobile phone call was made in the UK by Ernie Wise.
3 – President Reagan and Soviet Leader Gorbachev meet for the first time in Switzerland.
4 – Popular films include Back to the Future, Rambo, Rocky, The Color Purple, Out of Africa, & Cocoon.
5 – The first “.com” domain name is registered. However, “.edu” domains still predominate.
6 – Microsoft releases the first version of Windows, Windows 1.0.
7 – Compact Discs are introduced to American consumers.
8 – Wuzzles are popular and Barbie gets a home office.
9 – Coca-Cola introduces New Coke (6 months later they return to the original formula.)
10 – 1985 began on a Tuesday and ended on a Tuesday.
11 – “We Are the World” by USA For Africa featured many artists for Aid for Africa.
12 – Life Expectancy was 74.7 years. (now reported to be 78.8)
13 – Unemployment was 7.2%. (now reported to be 5.6%)
14 – Tools for desktop publishing begin to be commonly used due to availability of relatively inexpensive laser printers and computers.
15 – British scientists report the opening of an enormous hole in the earth’s ozone layer. (Latest UN reports say it is finally starting to heal.)
16 – 1985 is also known as MCMLXXXV.
17 – 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations.
18 – William J. Schroeder becomes the first artificial heart patient to leave the hospital.
19 – Five lionesses at the Singapore Zoo are put on birth control after the lion population increases from 2 to 16. (Not that is a mind blowing piece of information!)
20 – WrestleMania debuts at Madison Square Garden.
21 – Ruth Lawrence, 13, achieves a first in mathematics at Oxford University, becoming the youngest British person ever to earn a first-class degree and the youngest know graduate of Oxford University.
22 – The first smoking ban banning smoking in restaurants in the United States is passed in Aspen, Colorado.
23 – The first Nintendo home video game console in the United States is released as the Nintendo Entertainment System.
24 – The Tommy Hilfiger brand is established.
25 – DNA is first used in a criminal case.
26 – The space shuttle Atlantis is launched.
27 – Finger Pop Mittens are popular.
28 – Median Household Income is $23,618. (today it is $53,891)
29 – The comic strip Calvin and Hobbes debuts.
30 – Commerce Associates LP opens for business at 1201 N Orange St, Suite 700 (yes, now known as STAT Office Solutions)
Now – whether you made it all the way through the end of this list, or skipped to the end to see what special link is here, please enjoy the memories as you watch the artists performing the original 1985 of “We Are The World”.
