ORC Expands To Forrestal Center
Corrections or additions?
This article by Barbara Fox was prepared for the August 6, 2003 edition of U.S. 1 Newspaper. All rights reserved.
Life in the Fast Lane
Moving vans from Florida have unloaded the files of
Tyco International into 9 Roszel Road. Up to 300 occupants of the
two-story brick building are coming from Boca Raton and Manhattan,
and a number of jobs, ranging from staff auditor to director of investor
relations, are being advertised for this site.
The $36 billion manufacturing conglomerate makes everything from paper
diapers to electronics and medical supplies, and it owns ADT, the
home security company. Its CEO, Edward Breen, is on a campaign to
cleanse the company of the debt and scandal acquired under its previous
CEO Dennis Kozlowski. The logo of the former occupant of this building,
Merrill Lynch, has been removed.
Tyco International, 9 Roszel Road, Princeton 08540.609-720-0024. Home page: www.tyco.comTop Of PageORC Expands To Forrestal CenterOpinion Research Corporation’s response to a laggingeconomy was to upgrade its space with a move to the Princeton ForrestalCenter. Although the new “Do Not Call” law has certainly puta damper on ORC’s telemarketing contracts, the company’s traditionalstrength is in other areas, so it is weathering the downturn, saysCEO John Short.In July the company vacated its leased space, 40,000 square feet atthe Computer Associates building at 23 Orchard Road, and moved intoClass A space in the Forrestal Center. With more than 30,000 squarefeet, it shares the fourth floor with the law firm Smith StrattonWise Heher & Brennan, space previously occupied by the Liposome Company(Elan).The move shows how competitive the office market is now. ORC’s executivessay they made their decision when they could not reach an agreementwith Computer Associates regarding better wiring and better HVAC forthe 25-year-old building.Founded in 1938 by Claude Robinson, a cohort of George Gallup Sr.,ORC is one of the pioneers in market research. John Short succeededMichael Cooper as CEO in 1999 (U.S. 1, March 1, 2000). “We havechanged from a small company to a global operation,” says Short.ORC is a measurement-based marketing services firm with 75 to 85 peoplein Princeton. Worldwide the firm has 1,200 full-time employees and3,500 part-time telephone surveyors in 28 offices.ORC’s major public sector client is the U.S. Department of Healthand Human Services. Going village to village in Third World countries,ORC does studies on emerging health issues. For the Center for DiseaseControl it helps set up early alert systems to spot emerging epidemics.ORC also does Internet work, such as setting set up the databasesfor the National Cancer Registry, which catalogs and categorizes theincidence reports that hospitals and doctors must make.Traditional research companies had avoided blurring the line betweenresearch and sales but five years ago Cooper introduced the telemarketingbusiness, and three years ago the business was bringing in $15 million.Short thinks he can save some of that business. “Over time, theoutbound calls will be regulated to death, so we have already startedour transition to inbound calls,” says Short. Inbound calls canbe generated by club activities, promotions on television and in print,and customer care projects.”In the public sector we have remained robust and have been hiring,”says Short. “In the private sector we have had to contract, becausecompanies aren’t spending money. We are certainly not in an expansionmode.”Opinion Research Corporation (OPI), 600 CollegeRoad, Box 183, Princeton 08542-0183. John Short, CEO and president.908-281-5100; fax, 908-281-5103. Home page: www.opinionresearch.comTop Of PageLeaving TownAfter 15 years in business Ann Heckel has apparentlyclosed her pharmaceutical communications office at 312 Wall Streeton April 1, leaving an unexpired lease. Though still listed in thedirectory, the telephone number is disconnected. No information isavailable about a new address, and attempts to reach Heckel did notsucceed.Heckel had devised an online materials delivery system that deliveredimages and information for speeches and presentations. (U.S. 1, May22, 2002). One observer suggests Heckel was a victim of the downturnboth in the pharmaceutical industry and in the office market.Top Of PageChargedAuthorities found dynamite, handguns, pepper spray,and marijuana in the office of Alan E. Ottenstein, a neurologist at2997 Princeton Pike. He faces various charges of weapons possessionand drug possession. His lawyer, Jerome Ballaratto, said that Ottensteinis a licensed gun dealer in Pennsylvania and owns the MorrisvilleTrading Post. The 47-year-old doctor posted $50,000 bond.Top Of PageDeathsStephen Mark Finley, 49, on July 11, in a plane crashin Alaska. He cofounded PeproTech at Princeton Business Park in RockyHill. A service will be Friday, August 8, at 11 a.m. at St. AlphonsusChurch in Hopewell.Lara J. Moore, 32, on July 20. She was a history librarianat Princeton University.Walter S. Corson, 58, in an accident at his home on July26. He was a vice president at Mathematica Policy Research.Barbara Ellen Kovach, 61, on July 28. At Rutgers she foundedthe Leadership Development Institute.Hugh D. Wise Jr., 91, on August 3. He was a founder ofSmith, Stratton, Wise, Heher & Brennan LLP. A service will be Saturday,August 9, at 3 p.m. at Trinity Church on Mercer Street.Joseph L. Hagan, 53, on August 3. He was a programmerat Credit Suisse/First Boston.Next StoryCorrections or additions?This page is published by PrincetonInfo.com— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.
