Celebrating 40 Years!!

Cashins & Associates

A message from our founder, Bob Cashins, reflecting on the history of the firm.

November 12, 1981 was a long time ago. My wife, Mary, and I started the business at a time of a recession with four young children and no backup plan. I had the technical knowledge, but Mary was the one with a practical sense, organizational skills, and a willingness to do whatever it took to make the company successful. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into, but we had conviction that things would work out. We wanted to create a business that we could be proud of, one in which we did the right thing for both our clients and the workers who would be impacted by our work. The company philosophy was to provide our clients with services that are useful to them on a timeline that meets their schedules.

Gigantic changes in how business is done have occurred over the past 40 years. In the beginning we did not have a computer or a cell phone. It was most important to have personal face to face contact with potential clients. I miss that contact. Typewriters, word processors, white out and paper files have been replaced by computers and electronic files. Land lines became bulky cell phones sitting between the two front seats in a car. They in turn became cell phones. Now cell phones do what a few years ago was unimaginable. Luckily, the next generation of Cashins were around to guide us into the computer age.

Initially it was a struggle to survive. Persistence and hard work paid off when we were able to find work on Superfund Projects, the Boston Harbor Cleanup, and the Big Dig. These transformational public works projects changed the face of the City of Boston and allowed Cashins to grow. We still work today with most of the contractors we began working with on those mega projects. Construction related work expanded into general industry, indoor air quality, hazardous materials assessments, and mold/moisture evaluations. We have had the pleasure of employing a fantastic group of employees over the years who understood our goals and contributed greatly to our success.

Our clients, many of whom we have worked with for 20 or more years, have shown faith in us that we truly appreciate. Mutual respect between client and Cashins has been key to keeping our clients long term. We have strived to always provide clients with the information they need to make good decisions and to work in their best interest.

Personally, I have had, and continue to have, an incredible career. I have been in coal mines, hard rock tunnels, foundries and forge shops. I have seen every type of construction work and have worked with hundreds of small and large companies that are doing fantastic things.

Some of the technology being used was not in existence when we started. Seeing how workers did their jobs in sometimes unbelievably difficult conditions gave me a real appreciation for how difficult work can be and the character of people who do that hard work.

Cashins & Associates looks forward to the future and the challenges that will arise. We are ready to adapt to the changing workplace and to provide practical solutions to the modern health and safety issues that face our clients.

We have accomplished much of what we set out to do. The company has thrived through both good and hard times. We are thankful to all who have contributed to our success.