Abt SRBI LAUNCHES MARKET INSIGHTS DIVISION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2004

Abt SRBI, one of the nation's premier market strategy research firms, announced the launch of its Market Insights Division, headed by industry-leader Duane Clement, effective immediately. The Division will focus on innovative strategic research approaches that provide clients with actionable information and applications that positively influence business results.

Clement serves as President of the Division, located in Cincinnati. Clement has a strong background in marketing and strategic business planning. He joins Abt SRBI after serving as Chief Executive Officer of Catalina Marketing Research Solutions.

"SRBI was not interested in creating another 'me-too' consumer research capability," said Mark Schulman, President of SRBI. "Our goal was to bring together an innovative team blending the business, marketing, and research expertise required to reveal deeper market insights and translate those insights into the drivers of business success."

Clement has assembled a team of industry veterans to launch Abt SRBI's Market Insights Division. The team leadership includes Executive Vice President Joe Ferris III.

• Joe Ferris has more than 14 years of experience in management consulting, client service, project management, analysis, and research operations. He has assisted numerous Fortune 500 companies in the consumer and business-to-business arenas with his consultative approach towards solving business issues and providing research guidance.

"Our team has the unique expertise, vision, and strategic perspectives we sought to meet the needs of marketers in the 21st century," Schulman said. "In short, our goal is to give our clients an edge by opening the door well before opportunity knocks."

Schulman also emphasized that, "SRBI has always grown by putting the right people in the right place rather than through acquisition. Duane and his team are the right people. We expect that the SRBI Market Insights Division will soon become an acknowledged 21st century leader in the consumer product and service insight space with Duane at the helm of this veteran team," Schulman said.

Prior to Catalina, Duane was the Chief Executive Officer of Bounty SCA Worldwide the largest organization in the EuroRSCG network. While there, he had profit and loss responsibility for a global agency network with 1300 employees and operations in 29 countries, and led business growth through major client acquisition, and new product development to increase revenues from $35 million to $180 million in 3 years. Duane started his career with Procter & Gamble, spending 9 years in positions on increasing responsibility in both Research & Development, and Brand Management.

Before joining SRBI, Joe Ferris was Executive Vice President at Catalina Marketing Research Solutions. Joe has led the development and management of research projects for many prominent companies, such as Microsoft, Delta Air Lines, Sprint, GE Capital, United Parcel Service, Eastman Kodak Company, Gateway, Inc., Honda, Frito-Lay and McKinsey & Company.

Schulman, Ronca & Bucuvalas, Inc. (SRBI) is a global full-service market research and consumer strategy firm. Its mission is to open new doors of opportunity to our clients through strategic perspectives and state-of-the-art resources. SRBI is headquartered in New York City, with additional offices throughout the United States. SRBI specializes in: market insights, customer loyalty, brand development and tracking, financial services, insurance, health care, telecommunications, transportation, media, and public policy.

The Market Insights Division will be headquartered in the Cincinnati area:

Abt SRBI Market Insights Division
400 Olympic Corporate Center
3940 Olympic Boulevard
Erlanger, KY 41018
Phone: (859) 372-6766

Email: d.clement@srbi.com


Contact: Tara Regan 212-779-7700