ORC Expands To Forrestal Center
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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.
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.
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