by Nicholas A. Hamner
Investment Advisor Representative & Director of Marketing
[email protected]
I tell this story often, so if I sound like I’m repeating myself I apologize in advance.
A long time ago, in the year I spent between college and law school, I worked for a company that made very precise, very expensive, and very accurate clocks. “Off by one millisecond every couple million years” accurate. One of our biggest customers was NIST—the National Institute of Standards and Time—who used them to set time standards and calibrate systems and machinery… like the GPS constellation.
The devices we delivered to NIST were different than what we delivered to any other agency, because the NIST devices were fitted with an aluminum pyramid on the top. Why? Because NIST scientists and engineers—some of the brightest minds we have in this country—enjoy their coffee like anybody else. And the devices we delivered were about 36″ tall and had a nice 14″x14″ flat top. They were the perfect impromptu table to set a cup of coffee on. And, it follows, they were the perfect height for an errant hip or arm to bump and spill the coffee into a $250,000 specialized clock.
The pyramid caps had no mechanical or electrical purpose to our timing devices. They were there solely to keep cups from being set down.
Coffee-drinking & sign-reading aside, NIST is important in our daily lives in ways most people wouldn’t think about. You’re not putting 18 Exxon-gallons in your 16 Chevrolet-gallon tank because NIST standardized the gallon in the U.S. We all know what time it is because NIST sets & controls the time standard in the U.S. NIST even plays a role in the nutritional value of our food!
The FDA regulates the ingredients in food, the USDA regulates the finished food, and NIST provides representative samples of foods to allow manufacturers to compare nutritional values. Right now, you can get three six-ounce jars of reference peanut butter on the NIST site for the low, low price of $1,200. That is the most expensive peanut butter you can buy… this week. It exists solely to allow manufacturers to compare their product to a standard.
As advisors, we know we’re being compared to industry standards, which is why it has always been important for us to set our own standards. That’s why we exceed what others do and never just keep pace. It’s why we have people answering the phone, not a lengthy menu. It’s why you have all of our email addresses, and why you never wait more than 24 hours for a response. And it’s why we continue learning, continue advancing our knowledge, and continue to expand our offerings. Because we know what else is out there and we hold ourselves to a higher standard.
We also have spill-proof coffee cups. Just saying…