In today’s Meet the Team post, Tyler Goodmanson is taking center stage. After founder John Taylor, Tyler is TRG’s longest serving employee, and he has filled the role of Marketing Director for over a decade. He’s also a seasoned historical researcher, with a particular expertise in research related to asbestos litigation and due diligence. Prior to joining TRG, Tyler worked in real estate development. He is still passionate about the field, not to mention his hometown baseball team, The Oakland A’s. Read on to learn more about Tyler.
When you’re not working, where can we find you?
I’m a bit of an extrovert, so normally you’d find me out on the town with friends watching and talking about sports. I’m a lifelong Oakland Athletics fan, and have adopted the Washington Nationals as my favorite National League team. I usually enjoy a few Nationals games each season, but like many other fans these days, I’ve learned to be content with watching sports-related documentaries and previously taped games.
If the TRG team was out at a quiz or trivia night, what would be your area of expertise?
Sports would be up there, but our president, John Taylor, would probably have deeper knowledge than me. I’d have to hope that one of the question areas involved technology, as I try to keep up on the latest trends and innovations. I attend the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas as often as I can.
As a TRG team member, we know you frequently travel to repositories throughout the country, but what about personal travel experiences? Tell us about a memorable trip.
I visited Vietnam for the first time last year and really enjoyed the people, sights, and cuisine. The Hỏa Lò Prison (“Hanoi Hilton”) tour was heartbreaking and eye-opening as I learned more about the mistreatment of Vietnamese revolutionaries by the French and saw pictures of American prisoners from the Vietnam War (the “War Against the Americans to Save the Nation” or “Resistance War Against America” as it is known by the Vietnamese). It was fascinating and educational to learn about these events from a different perspective.
If you had a time machine, which decade or historical time period would you most want to live in and why?
The current time period. I’m way too attached to my technological devices to want to go back in time before smart phones and WiFi.
In 280 characters or less, tell us something about historical research that would surprise those outside of the field.
It takes more than good research skills. Communicating well with the team and others by having good people skills can be quite helpful as well.
How has your experience with real estate development shaped your research approach at TRG?
I spent over ten years interacting with various government agencies in Seattle obtaining both building and land use permits. Learning how to navigate various government agencies, knowing who to talk to and how to communicate with them has definitely been a skill that has translated well to my work at TRG.
As our marketing director, what would you tell a prospective client about the value TRG can offer?
I could mention quality of research, excellent client communication, quick turnaround times and low cost, but none of those would be possible without the people that make up the TRG team. They are talented and dedicated people who are absolutely excellent at all aspects of historical research. The people I work with are what makes Taylor Research Group an excellent company to partner with.