AST Research Inc. Founded by Thomas Yuen.
Address:
16215 Alton Parkway
P.O. Box 19658
Irvine, California 92713-9658
U.S.A.
Telephone: (714) 727-4141
Fax: (714) 727-9355
Public Company
Incorporated: 1980
Employees: 4,000
Sales: $944.10 million
Stock Exchanges: New York
SICs: 3571 Electronic Computers
Company History:
AST Research Inc., is the third-largest American manufacturer of personal computers based on the industry standard microprocessing chip. In its short history, the company has grown dramatically from a small endeavor started by three friends, to a major power in the computer business, with markets throughout the world.
The story of AST's genesis is a classic tale of a California computer company that was started on a shoe-string and rocketed to wealth and prominence on the strength of technological innovation. The company was founded by Thomas C. K. Yuen, who talked two friends into taking on extra jobs as computer consultants in 1979. The three pooled their spare cash--a total of $2,000--and started the company they named with the initials of the their first names. Albert C. Wong, Yuen's old roommate from Orange Coast College, contributed the "A"; Safi U. Qureshey, who had met Yuen while working at minicomputer maker Computer Automation, Inc., contributed the "S"; and Thomas Yuen, the son of a Hong Kong textile company limousine driver, contributed the "T."
In the spirit of equality, the three friends, all immigrants who had been trained as engineers, drew straws to determine who would take what office in the new company. Qureshey, originally from Pakistan, became president; Wong, from Hong Kong, became secretary; and Yuen took over the post of treasurer. The company was incorporated in 1980, but it was not until 1981 that the three principals of AST had an idea for their first product.
