Corrections or additions?
Prepared for the September 13, 2000 edition of U.S. 1 Newspaper.
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ETS Start-Ups
ETS is branching out from college admission testing
to create two for-profit divisions, one to provide tests and test
training for classes from kindergarten through high school, and
another
to work on online learning software. Both are located, for now at
least, on the Rosedale Road campus.
K-12 Works has been organized as a for-profit firm because its
competitors
are also operating for profits, says a spokesperson, and the
for-profit
status will head off rivals’ complaints about unfair competition.
Any profits it receives, nevertheless, will be plowed back into
research.
In addition to devising the actual tests, this division will also
provide teacher training and consulting services to school districts.
Its new CEO, Wayne Gressett, had been vice president of sales and
marketing at Harcourt Educational Measurement. He has a BA from
Mississippi
State, Class of 1968, and a doctor’s degree in educational psychology
from the same university. He has been a special education teacher,
a director of curriculum and instruction, a director of psychological
services, and as an assistant superintendent, and he led reform
efforts
for the Mississippi Department of Education.
The next generation of assessments, Gressett predicts, will be created
to serve real learning, not just grading. These assessments will be
customized to state standards and be geared to the levels of the
student
test takers and serve as powerful tools for the classroom teacher.
Plans are for the division to grow to 500 employees in five years
and to account for one fourth of ETS’ overall business. “We’re
expecting the new subsidiary to make ETS the preferred destination
for the best and brightest K-12 theorists and practitioners interested
in test development, statistical analysis, educational research, and
product development,” says Sharon Robinson, COO of ETS.
The other for-profit subsidiary, ETS Technologies Inc., will work
on how technology can enhance online learning. Begun in May, it hopes
to develop software to evaluate the quality of essays or short answers
to test questions. Richard Swartz, who heads ETS Technologies, holds
the title of vice president.
On the ETS website now is a web-based service — Criterion Online
Writing Evaluation — that allows students to get instant feedback
on writing samples they submit. The Criterion service is designed
to supplement writing instruction by giving learners the opportunity
to practice writing and receive reliable feedback based on widely
accepted standards (www.ets.org/criterion). Anyone can write an essay
on the topic stated and get a score and evaluation in about 30
seconds.
Criterion uses e-rater, ETS’s proprietary automated essay scoring
system.
ETS Technologies is partnering with a software company, Question Mark,
to provide similar services for schools and colleges for anything
from teaching to placement. Businesses, governments and universities
in more than 50 countries use Question Mark computer-based testing
and assessment software (www.questionmark.com).
Guest Supply Inc. (GSY), 4301 Route 1 South,PrincetonExecutive Center, Box 902, Monmouth Junction 08852-0920. CliffordStanley, president, CEO. 609-514-9696; fax, 609-514-2692.The publicly-traded hotel amenities manufacturing and distributionfirm has bought a Canadian supplier to the hospitality industry. Thepurchase of T.J. MacDonald Co., based in Ontario, will give the mergedcompanies the ability to provide a “one stop shoppingresource”for hotels in Canada, said Clifford W. Stanley, president and CEO.Guest Supply manufactures and distributes lodging and industryamenitiesand does contract packaging. T.J. MacDonald has more than $4 millionin revenues, but the contract terms were not available. Guest Supplyhas 80 workers on Route 1 South and 1,110 people worldwide, includingat a factory in Rahway and a warehouse in Sayreville.ITXC Corp. (Internet Telephony Exchange Carrier)(ITXC),600 College Road East, Princeton 08540. Tom Evslin, CEO. 609-419-1500;fax, 609-419-1511. Home page: www.itxc.com.The SEC has approved the idea that ITXC can buy a privately held firmin Organ, eFusion, for 5.7 million shares of new common stock or about12 percent of ITXC. ITXC’s shareholders will vote at a meeting onWednesday, October 11, at the Holiday Inn on Route 1 South. The dollarvalue of this deal was nearly $150 million when it was announced lastmonth, but it has dropped to about $114 million. ITXC is a leadingwholesaler of Internet telephone services, but it has yet to makea profit.Opinion Research Corporation International(OPI),23 Orchard Road, Suite 1, Box 183, Princeton 08542-0183. John Short,CEO and president. 908-281-5100; fax, 908-281-5103. Home page:www.opinionresearch.com.To broaden its scope Opinion Research has bought Illinois-based C/JResearch Corp. for $9.5 million. C/J Research studies consumer needs,whereas the Orchard Road-based firm concentrates on business tobusinesspreferences. The 40 staffers and 250 part-timers at C/J Research willstay in Arlington Heights, Illinois.In 1999 Opinion Research bought Macro International Corp. for $28million, nearly doubling in size and placing it among the top 10largestmarket research companies in the United States. Most of Macro’sbusinesscame from government contracts. The acquisition means that OpinionResearch has offices in Europe, Latin America, Asia and Africa, aswell as the United States.Top Of PageStock News: Universal DisplayUniversal Display Corporation Inc. (PANL), 375Phillips Boulevard, Ewing 08618. Steven Abramson, president.609-671-0980;fax, 609-671-0995. Home page: www.universaldisplay.com.Universal Display has upgraded its stock from the Nasdaq Small CapMarket through the Philadelphia Stock Eschange to the Nasdaq NationalMarket, where it now trades as PANL, says Sidney D. Rosenblatt, chieffinancial officer. The company, which was incubated at PrincetonUniversity,develops and makes flat panel displays using the technique of organiclight-emitting diodes (OLED). It has 50 patents pending and anexclusivelicense to 30 patents.Steve Forrest, who pioneered in OLED, will speak and the company willalso exhibit at the New Jersey Technology Council’s Imaging Expo onTuesday, September 19, at the Princeton University Engineering Schoolon Olden Avenue. Cost: $70. Call 856-787-9700.Top Of PageManagement MovesHealthCare Institute of New Jersey, 391 GeorgeStreet, Suite 210, New Brunswick 08901. William H. Tremayne,president.732-227-2000; fax, 732-342-8449. Home page: www.hinj.org.Raymond V. Gilmartin, chairman, president, and CEO of Merck & Co.Inc., has begun a two-year term as chairman of this association forthe research-based pharmaceutical and medical technology industryin New Jersey. He succeeds Patrick J. Zenner of Hoffman LaRoche. Newvice chairs are Fred Hassan of Pharmacia Corporation and Edward J.Ludwig of BD (Becton Dickinson). The 20-company organization aimsto raise the visibility of research-based pharmaceutical and medicaldevice industry.New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants,425 Eagle Rock Avenue, Roseland 07068. Ralph Albert Thomas, CPA,executivedirector 2000. 973-226-4494; fax, 973-226-7425. www.njscpa.org.Sharon L. Lamont is the new president of the state CPA society. Sheis the first woman president, and her firm, Schaeffer, Lamont &Associatesat Montgomery Knoll, has an all-female staff.Top Of PageName ChangesKSS Architects LLP, 337 Witherspoon Street,Princeton08542. Michael Shatken AIA, partner. 609-921-1131; fax, 609-921-9414.Home page: www.kssarch.comFormerly known as Kehrt, Shatken & Sharon, this architecture firmwill now use initials for its name. It is an architecture, planning,and interior design firm specializing in projects for academicinstitutions,corporations, and developers.Top Of PageDeathsJoan Terry, 50, on September 6. She was the wife of U.S.1 photographer Craig R. Terry and co-founder of Challenged Horsemenand Special Equestrians (CHASE), a nonprofit program that providesrides to children with special needs.Christopher A. Wilson, 34, on September 6. He wastechnicaldirector for Krell Advertising in Flemington.William G. Bannon, 34, on September 7. He was astockbrokerwith PaineWebber.Previous StoryCorrections or additions?This page is published by PrincetonInfo.com— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.
