The Liang family: (from left to right) Kevin, Daphne, Kai and Jessica.
(The following text is an excerpt from the book Chinese Americans in Irvine 1971-2021.)
Founded 30 years ago by Kai Liang, TC Communications is strategically positioned in the center of the Irvine Business Complex, surrounded by well-known technology companies and burgeoning startups, just five minutes from John Wayne Airport. However, despite its location, few people know that this unassuming two-story office building houses the ideation and creation of robust technology that serves the mission critical communications needs of a variety of industries. TC Communications is the manufacturer of the navigation communications system for U.S. military and commercial airports. What’s more, public utility agencies, police and fire departments all rely on TC Communications systems that are directly designed, manufactured, installed and maintained by the company.
TC Communications had its origins in Liang’s passion for designing electronic products, beginning at an early age. In Taiwan, when he was in high school, he was repairing his neighbors’ radios for free, often spending his pocket money to buy the electronic parts. He also tried his hand at hotwiring to start his father’s Jeep. “I was a terrible student,” said Liang. “I didn’t like learning in the classroom, but I could spend hours taking something apart and putting it back together, making it better each time.” These unconventional ways of learning awakened his love of product design and an entrepreneurial spirit that would eventually take shape in the formation of his own business.
In 1980, Liang made the move from Taiwan to the U.S. to attend graduate school at California State University, Long Beach, where he studied electrical engineering and earned a master’s degree. With his knowledge fully developed, matched by a cultivated creativity, he was ready to take the next step, and the initial concept of a communications-focused company was born.
Liang, with the supporting technical expertise of his wife Daphne, developed TC Communications as the go-to source for communications technology for industries that needed 24/7 support to counteract the possibility of operational interruptions – interruptions that could cause substantial harm. Attracted by the planned community and exceptional school district, the Liangs opted to establish the company in Irvine. The location was ideal for the design of electronic products that apply innovative solutions for communications technology amidst other industry thought leaders, which would help shape the company’s image.
In 1992, the California Department of Water Resources became one of TC Communications’ first utility customers and to this day utilizes the company’s technology to support 13 hydroelectric power plants. Communication systems are generally guaranteed only for five years, Liang said, so recently he was surprised by a call for help from the organization requesting the manual of the original communications system. The communications system has been in operation for almost 30 years and is still functioning with new equipment and staff.
Both Caltrans and the Metrolink in Southern California have selected equipment and services from TC Communications. The on-ramp traffic lights that control traffic flow on the freeways and the large electronic signs displaying AMBER Alerts are linked to the control center with TC Communications designs and products. More than 100 pieces of equipment are set up along the Metrolink routes, and these communications systems are vital to the everyday transportation of millions yet remain almost invisible to outsiders.
Since all TC Communications products are manufactured in the U.S., they are particularly favored by public safety and government agencies. For example, the communications systems used by the police and fire departments need to function continuously, without interruption, even under extreme conditions. To ensure all products can withstand extreme weather, TC Communications installed an onsite temperature test chamber with a temperature range from minus 40 degrees Celsius to 85 degrees Celsius (-40 to 185 degrees Fahrenheit).
To this day, Liang spends so much time thinking about product design that he has dreams about solutions in his sleep. However, from a business perspective, he considers product design to be only one part in the success of an enterprise. “Daphne was instrumental in the founding of TC Communications,” said Liang. “She helped create the foundational structure and processes the company is built on.” Liang also credits sales, marketing, technical support, training and financial analysis for the company’s success because without their teamwork, a good product design might stay on the drawing board forever.
Giving back to the Irvine community is very important to the Liangs. They have become longtime supporters of the Irvine Chinese School and have donated a dance classroom to the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center to honor Liang’s father. Additionally, two treatment rooms in the emergency building of Hoag Hospital Irvine bear the family’s name.
The Liangs are grateful to call Irvine home as it is an ideal area to raise a family and has opened the door for them to thrive within the city’s multicultural environment. “I remember all of the orange groves and fields that were scattered across Irvine when we first moved here, but the neighborhoods were designed for family life. My wife and I fell in love with the pool our kids could walk to from our house, the countless parks to choose from and the numerous enrichment programs for kids and adults from art to creative writing to tennis camps.” The couple has also made many friends who share their experiences as entrepreneurs. Although Irvine has developed into a metropolis, the Liangs still find the friendly atmosphere of a small town in their neighborhood. (Written by Esther Hsiao)
The Liang family at the Chinese American Debutante charity event.
(以下文字摘錄自《爾灣華裔紀實1971-2021》一書)
成立至今 30 年的美國泰宗通訊有限公司（TC Communications），位在距橙縣飛機場僅五分鐘車程的爾灣商業中心，很少人知道這座低調的二層樓辦公建築，是製造全美軍用及商用飛機場導航通訊系統的高科技廠商，此外，像電力、水利、交通等公用事業，各地警局、消防局的緊急通訊系統，都是由這家公司包辦設計、製造、安裝及維護。
泰宗通訊總裁梁開朗表示，30 多年前受到爾灣城市規畫及學區吸引而遷來此地，後來選在離家不遠的爾灣商業中心創業，周邊不少知名科技大廠及新創企業，對公司形象有加分效應，最重要的是，公司設在爾灣有助於吸引及留住人才。
主修物理及電機的梁開朗，從小喜歡自己研究及設計電子產品，他念中學時就免費幫鄰居修理收音機，更不惜花自己的零用錢購買所需的零件。他還曾動手用短接電線（hotwiring）的方式偷偷發動他父親的吉普車引擎，在實際操作中培養出他對研發新產品的熱情。
1980 年來美攻讀研究所，在加州州立大學取得電機工程碩士後，梁開朗投入企業界工作兩年，為了實現自行開發、設計產品的夢想，先創辦電腦零售商店，並於 1991 年成立泰宗通訊，提供一站式的通訊科技產品與服務。
在通訊科技日新月異的時代潮流中，梁開朗靠著為客戶解決實際問題的本領，在業界建立自己的一片天空，他表示，公司選擇不申請產品專利，持續推出創新設計，因此不擔心產品被抄襲。
創業之初，加州水利局是泰宗通訊最早的公用事業客戶之一，梁開朗親自設計光纖通訊系統，還投入設備安裝及人員培訓過程。令人訝異的是，這套通訊系統居然沿用 30 年，至今仍運作如常。通訊設備及系統的保固期一般是 5 年，梁開朗說，最近公司接到加州水利局的求救電話，因為多年來人員更換，已經找不到原始通訊系統的使用手冊，幸好產品製造商仍在加州。
除了水利局之外，加州公路局及連結南加州五縣的 Metrolink 捷運系統也使用泰宗通訊的設備，例如，管制車流進入高速公路的訊號燈，以及展示 Amber Alert 的大型電子告示牌，均使用泰宗通訊的設備進行操控。 Metrolink 捷運沿線架設 100 多個攸關行車安全的通訊設施，也是該公司產品。這些日常生活中離不開、卻看不見的通訊系統，是維護交通便利的幕後功臣。
由於泰宗通訊產品全部在美國製造，特別受公共安全及政府機構偏愛，例如警方及消防隊員使用的通訊系統，不但講求速度、品質及安全，為了確保通訊設備能經得起極端氣候環境的考驗，TC Communications 公司內特設一座從攝氏零下 40 度到 85 度（華氏零下 40 度到 185 度）的測試房，難怪這裡出廠的通訊設備能贏得執法單位的口碑。
擅長思考分析的梁開朗表示，他腦中常想著新的產品設計，有時候甚至在睡夢中獲得靈感，讓設計難題迎刃而解，是人生中莫大的快樂。然而他也常告誡年輕的工程師，產品設計只是企業成功的一個環節， 必須有整體評估、市場行銷、售後服務、財務分析等各方面配合，否則再好的設計也可能被埋沒。
由於子女曾就讀爾灣中文學校的緣故，梁開朗和妻子王丹玉不僅捐款贊助興建南海岸中華文化中心的戴廣源文教大樓，還曾義務提供科技方面的支援，文化中心一樓舞蹈教室「竹軒」就是梁開朗為紀念其父梁竹先生而命名。
在爾灣市的 Hoag 醫院急診大樓，也可看到梁開朗與家人捐贈的兩間治療室。梁開朗說，兒女受惠於爾灣市多元文化的成長環境，從小在社區游泳池、網球場中培養運動精神。而在他創業過程中，更遇到不吝分享經驗的好友，儘管爾灣市已發展為大都會，但在他所住的社區裡，鄰里間仍保有小城般守望相助的人情味。（蕭迪玉撰文)