First Research Integrates Industry Leading Financial Metrics into Industry Profiles

Fintel’s Financial Benchmarking Ratios Enhance Industry Intelligence

RALEIGH, NC – October 3, 2006 – First Research Inc., the leading provider of Industry Intelligence, today announced that it has further enhanced its Industry Profiles by including financial benchmarking ratios from Fintel, a leading financial data provider.

“First Research evaluated a number of financial information providers and Fintel’s extensive data made our choice easy,” said Bobby Martin. “The inclusion of this valuable information further extends our leadership position as the preeminent Industry Intelligence provider for sales professionals.”

Fintel's exclusive dataset, derived from more than 900,000 privately held firms and more than 900 industries, ensures coverage of even the smallest markets. First Research will incorporate a portion of Fintel’s Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Financial Ratios into its more than 200 Industry Profiles to better serve its user base.

The benchmarking table will provide a broad view of many different types of firms in an industry, giving users a comprehensive view of typical operating metrics in each target industry. This information allows sales professionals to better understand the business conditions, opportunities and risks of each client and prospect; helping them build stronger relationships, and identify products and services to meet that business’ specific needs. Further, the inclusion of additional ratios will greatly assist those customers using Industry Intelligence in credit underwriting.

“Fintel is fast becoming a leader in financial benchmarking by providing statistics that are unrivaled in their breadth and analytical power,” said Boris Nenide, chief operating officer, Fintel. “We are very pleased First Research chose our data as a complement to the valuable information it provides and are confident its customers will gain from this partnership.”

About First Research
First Research is the leading provider of Industry Intelligence Tools that help sales and marketing teams perform faster and smarter, open doors and close more deals. First Research performs the “heavy lifting” by analyzing hundreds of sources to create insightful and easy to digest Industry Intelligence that can be consumed very quickly to better understand a prospect’s or client’s business issues. Customers include leading companies in banking, accounting, insurance, technology, telecommunications, business process outsourcing and professional services such as Bank of America and Merrill Lynch. Used by more than 50,000 sales professionals, First Research can benefit any organization which has prospects in multiple industries. First Research is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina. For more information, visit www.firstresearch.com.

About Fintel
Fintel is a leading provider of financial benchmarking and analytics designed to help consultants, banks, and companies improve their bottom lines through improved financial intelligence with the help of an exclusive dataset of over 900,000 private companies in over 900 industries. Fintel’s innovative solutions, such as the comprehensive analytical system FintelOnline2.0, allow companies to benchmark themselves against their industry, and work with “what-if” corrective scenarios in real-time. Fintel’s custom research has been utilized by many clients including the Brookings Institution, the United States Small Business Administration, and the Wisconsin Technology Council. Fintel’s leading edge solutions, both off the shelf and custom, can help government and corporate clients achieve their benchmarking, research, and consulting goals. Fintel is headquartered in Madison, Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.fintel.us

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Media Contacts:
Shawn Ramsey
Crossroads Public Relations (on behalf of First Research)
(919) 782-3262 (office)
(919) 621-0737 (mobile)
sramsey@crossroadspr.com

Kristin W. Bear
Crossroads Public Relations (on behalf of First Research)
(919) 784-0445 (office)
(919) 349-1856 (mobile)
kbear@crossroadspr.com