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Data-Link Corp. finds a new home in South Meriden

9/23/2008

Data-Link Corp. finds a new home in South Meriden

James Cournoyer said few area residents would ever drop in at Data-Link Corp.’s old office in South Meriden.

But since the computer networking business moved from an obscure site at 79 Main St. to the former CBT bank branch down the road at 98 Main St., village residents have noticed.

"A lady walked in and asked, "Can we fax something from here?’ And we did it for her," Cournoyer said. Someone else came by and needed help in getting on the Internet.

The move from an out-of-the-way second floor entrance to a prominent spot in the middle of the village has not only made Data-Link more visible, it signals a commitment to Cournoyer’s hometown.

"I wanted to stay here," said the 37-year -old Cournoyer, a 1980 Maloney High School graduate. He met last year with city officials, noting that his business had outgrown its home.

"We wanted to keep it in Meriden, and expand the tax base in South Meriden," said City Councilor Laura Gallo. Gallo, fellow Council member Keith Gordon and Economic Development Director Randall Kamerbeek met with Cournoyer.

"Basically, we made sure he was aware of any benefits he could receive," Kamerbeek said, such as local property tax abatement on new and used machines, and credit for property tax paid on computer and data processing equipment. The officials also helped Cournoyer with zoning questions.

Cournoyer bought the bank for $90,000 last year, as part of bankruptcy proceedings for Joseph F. Carabetta and his Companies. A bankruptcy judge approved the sale, which allows Data-Link to double its size to 3,460 square feet.

A cottage industry

Cournoyer began the business in 1986 as Token Communications Co., out of his Crown Village home. He held jobs with Bell Atlantic and Southern New England Telecommunications by day, while launching his own business at night. With his years of experience with computers in the Air Force (he left the service as a staff sergeant in 1986), he eventually had enough work to concentrate solely on his own business.

"People would call and say,’ Can you come in and put in cable?’ " Cournoyer said.

The company became Data-Link in 1988, and eventually moved out to its own South Meriden office. Cournoyer, too, moved to South Meriden and became part of the community. On Jan 1, he became chief of the South Meriden Volunteer Fire Department. "Jim is very committed individual, not only to his business, but very committed to South Meriden," Gallo said.

The company made its name by providing clients with wires an switching systems for office computer and telephone networks. It also designs, plans, installs and maintains computer networks. Clients include Yale University, Kaiser Permanente and Farmington High School. At the school, Data-Link is helping install a data network, part of a 20 month project. With the help of state funds, Farmington is putting a computer work station in each classroom.

"We’re booked until the end of March," Cournoyer said, adding that he looks for workers "who can take the initiative to be out there and troubleshoot... otherwise, customers won’t call back." Many of Data-Link’s employees, spend much of their time at clients’ offices.

Data-Link cut its employee roster from 16 to 11 "because of overhead," Cournoyer said, but he hopes growth will allow it to double the work force to at least 22 a year from now. If he does, he’ll be boosting the numbers in a prime Connecticut growth industry.

Growth in Connecticut

The Connecticut Policy and Economic Council reports the state’s computer services industry grew at a faster rate over the past seven years than that in Massachusetts, California and seven other states whose economies are closely associated with the computer industry.

Connecticut’s share of those jobs grew from 10,791 in 1990 to 19,649 in 1996. The 82 percent growth rate was second highest in the sample, next to Washington. The home state of software giant Microsoft enjoyed a 130 percent growth.

In the future, Data-Link will be installing video conferencing equipment to communicate with clients, and is beginning work on wireless computer systems.

Meanwhile, Cournoyer is happy with his new home. There are still many signs of the recent move- boxes here and there - but the attractive conference room is full of wooden chairs and tables. Cournoyer hopes to rent the room, "with a rich, homey feel." to local community groups.

He is even using the former bank vault, once rusted but now restored, for storage. The drive-through, however will be transformed by a bookcase and plants.

"I want to stay here; it’s centrally located. We can go anywhere in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island or New York from here." he said.

"We continue to believe that the heart of the economic recovery in Central Connecticut is going to depend on existing small businesses." Kamerbeek said. "This was an example of where a small business was able to stay home and continue to grow."

"It’s a good little business. They have quite a niche for themselves."

by Paul Swan, Courtesy of the Record-Journal