609-720-0024. Home page: www.tyco.com

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ORC Expands To Forrestal Center

Opinion Research Corporation’s response to a lagging

economy was to upgrade its space with a move to the Princeton Forrestal

Center. Although the new "Do Not Call" law has certainly put

a damper on ORC’s telemarketing contracts, the company’s traditional

strength is in other areas, so it is weathering the downturn, says

CEO John Short.

In July the company vacated its leased space, 40,000 square feet at

the Computer Associates building at 23 Orchard Road, and moved into

Class A space in the Forrestal Center. With more than 30,000 square

feet, it shares the fourth floor with the law firm Smith Stratton

Wise Heher & Brennan, space previously occupied by the Liposome Company

(Elan).

The move shows how competitive the office market is now. ORC’s executives

say they made their decision when they could not reach an agreement

with Computer Associates regarding better wiring and better HVAC for

the 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 succeeded

Michael Cooper as CEO in 1999 (U.S. 1, March 1, 2000). "We have

changed from a small company to a global operation," says Short.

ORC is a measurement-based marketing services firm with 75 to 85 people

in Princeton. Worldwide the firm has 1,200 full-time employees and

3,500 part-time telephone surveyors in 28 offices.

ORC’s major public sector client is the U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services. Going village to village in Third World countries,

ORC does studies on emerging health issues. For the Center for Disease

Control it helps set up early alert systems to spot emerging epidemics.

ORC also does Internet work, such as setting set up the databases

for the National Cancer Registry, which catalogs and categorizes the

incidence reports that hospitals and doctors must make.

Traditional research companies had avoided blurring the line between

research and sales but five years ago Cooper introduced the telemarketing

business, and three years ago the business was bringing in $15 million.

Short thinks he can save some of that business. "Over time, the

outbound calls will be regulated to death, so we have already started

our transition to inbound calls," says Short. Inbound calls can

be 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, because

companies aren’t spending money. We are certainly not in an expansion

mode."

Road, Box 183, Princeton 08542-0183. John Short, CEO and president.

908-281-5100; fax, 908-281-5103. Home page: www.opinionresearch.com

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Leaving Town

After 15 years in business Ann Heckel has apparently

closed her pharmaceutical communications office at 312 Wall Street

on April 1, leaving an unexpired lease. Though still listed in the

directory, the telephone number is disconnected. No information is

available about a new address, and attempts to reach Heckel did not

succeed.

Heckel had devised an online materials delivery system that delivered

images and information for speeches and presentations. (U.S. 1, May

22, 2002). One observer suggests Heckel was a victim of the downturn

both in the pharmaceutical industry and in the office market.

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Charged

Authorities found dynamite, handguns, pepper spray,

and marijuana in the office of Alan E. Ottenstein, a neurologist at

2997 Princeton Pike. He faces various charges of weapons possession

and drug possession. His lawyer, Jerome Ballaratto, said that Ottenstein

is a licensed gun dealer in Pennsylvania and owns the Morrisville

Trading Post. The 47-year-old doctor posted $50,000 bond.

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Deaths

in Alaska. He cofounded PeproTech at Princeton Business Park in Rocky

Hill. A service will be Friday, August 8, at 11 a.m. at St. Alphonsus

Church in Hopewell.

at Princeton University.

26. He was a vice president at Mathematica Policy Research.

the Leadership Development Institute.

Smith, Stratton, Wise, Heher & Brennan LLP. A service will be Saturday,

August 9, at 3 p.m. at Trinity Church on Mercer Street.

at Credit Suisse/First Boston.

Corrections or additions?

— the web site for U.S. 1 Newspaper in Princeton, New Jersey.