THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 13, 1996 TAG: 9609130723
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY MYLENE MANGALINDAN, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 30 lines
Eastern Research Services, a market research and public opinion polling company, has opened a new office in Virginia Beach.
The Springfield, Pa.-based firm gathers information for major packaged goods companies like McDonald's, Supervalu stores and Leo Burnett Advertising.
It opened an office earlier this month in the Pembroke Six office building in the city's Central Business District. It plans to hire 120 part-time employees for its seven-day workweek operation.
Established in 1992, Eastern also has operations in Tampa, Fla. Hampton Roads marks the company's third location.
Eastern chose this region for its accessibility to corporate headquarters, large and articulate labor force, mild climate and a young, growing community, according to Forward Hampton Roads, which coordinated the firm's site search.
``Hampton Roads is on the top of the list of communities that have the quality labor force sought by companies such as Eastern Research Services,'' said John Matson, chairman of Forward Hampton Roads, the economic development arm of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce.
Eastern first approached Forward Hampton Roads in mid-May and followed with a site visit. It decided to open an office in the region in July.
``Virginia Beach complements our other East Coast offices in geography, climate, employment and wages. We feel it is the perfect location for our new facility,'' said Eastern's chairman, Michael Marcus. by CNB