Quantex Stinks, but there's a good Fountain Technologies, Inc.

To the teacher in Taiwan:  Fountain Tech closed its doors way before you posted.  As a matter of fact they closed doors without completing orders.  I can't substantiate but I was told by friends who still worked there in 2000 that they were still taking orders but not shipping anything.  IN any case, I worked there as  repiar tech, then for their phone support and later an assistant manager to Tech support for Quantex and Cybermax from about 1993 to 1997.  I don't recall the exact dates but it was that time period.  Although some of their practices with their employees were a littel fishy, and the President of Quantex itself was nothing but a figurehead, overall I was given lots of opportunities to grow there.  I eventually left for a better paying opportunity.  BUt while I worked with Quantex and Cybermax the tech support staff was proud of their product and had a great team spirit.  I can attribute that mostly to the managers who took the time and effort to convince executives to invest in their people. 

 That they had to close their doors is sad, and what I hear about the treatment of the employees and customers at the end is also sad, but that reflects the owners' attitudes to people in general.  Not ALL the owners, but Jason definitely did not ooze a warm and fuzzy for people.  When he tried to be nice it came off as fake.  And he'd generally be "nice" right after he relaized he insulted or really pissed off a productive employee.  He'd doen it to me more than once and I watched him do it to another high ranking owner and very bright man there in charge of engineering, MT.  That's pretty much when I decided to leave because I knew someone who didn't care about people as their first instinct were destined to use them and throw thm away. 

Otherwise I was proud to work there with the team I had and the collegues in other segments of Fountain (Pionex,etc.).  They were some really bright people trying to make something of themselves.  And for the most part those that I kept in touch with have done very well for themselves carrying on that spirit and drive (that coincidentally had little to do with Fountain in general but the team spirit fostered by some creative middle management).

 Quantex and CyberMax were great computers when I left there.  But as often is the case, it looks like bad fiscal decisions by the owners led to it going away. 

Lou Vassallo

Yep:  I say my name so you can know who said this. 

From 1987 to 1989, I worked in Fountain Technologies, Inc. New Jersey as the assitant to the president in charge of personnel department.

That company is by no means a rip off company. With a wide range of branch offices across the country, the headquarter based in N.J. has always been trying hard to upgrade its products as well as its service. People there are honest engineers and the president holds a Ph.D degree from Columbia university. I even accompanied them to the Empire building on the 5th floor to give a product presentation (386-16) in front of PC magazine editors in 1988.

It's been sooo long ago, now I am in Taiwan teaching English. I believe that company remains the same with a group of outstanding and hard-working people putting their collaborative efforts to meet the market demands.