CONTACTS: Julie Harrison, Dan Pinger Public Relations, 513/564-0700

Nancy Bunn, Burke, Inc., 513/684-7509

Cincinnati, OH (February 8, 2000) ¾ Burke, Inc., an international leader in strategic custom research and business consulting,  has promoted Rod Cober to executive vice president. This newly created position is a reflection of Burke’s continuing growth over the past several years.

In his new role as executive vice president, Rod will be responsible for the oversight of the company’s key marketing units, Burke Marketing Research, Burke Customer Satisfaction Associates (Burke CSA), Burke Strategic Consulting Group, Marketing Services, and Qualitative Services. Rod’s new responsibilities include overseeing coordination and planning across all marketing units to deliver "Integrated Solutions" to clients worldwide.

"As the General Manager of Burke CSA, Rod provided the leadership we needed to develop Burke Customer Satisfaction Associates into a worldwide leader in its field. We know he will bring those same strategic planning and management skills to all of our other marketing units," said Michael Baumgardner, president of Burke, Inc. "I feel confident that his strong leadership skills and knowledge of our markets will help us to bring a coordinated approach of all Burke’s research and consulting competencies to the unique business information needs of each of our clients."

Since joining Burke in 1977 as an Account Executive Trainee, Rod as served as eastern region sales manager out of Burke’s Connecticut office, executive director of marketing, and senior vice president of client services and general manager of Burke CSA in Burke’s Cincinnati headquarters office. He has designed customer satisfaction measurement programs with a focus on customer-driven service, driving continuous service and quality improvement efforts for a number of Fortune 500 clients. Rod co-founded Burke’s International TRI:M Center, which provides customer satisfaction measurement and management services in more than 40 countries around the world.

Rod currently serves on the Burke Board of Directors and has served on the Board of the Council of American Survey Research Organizations and the Hammonasset School. He is a member of the American Marketing Association and the American Society of Quality. Rod holds undergraduate degrees from Valley Forge Military Academy and the University of Maryland, and a master’s degree in marketing from Penn State University.

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Editor’s Note: Founded in 1931 and based in Cincinnati, Burke, Inc. is one of the premier international business research and consulting firms in the world. The Cincinnati-based firm has offices and affiliates in 40 countries, offering business solutions through the following strategic divisions: Burke Customer Satisfaction Associates, Burke Marketing Research, Burke Strategic Consulting Group, Internet Research Group and The Training & Development Center.