First Research Strengthens Industry Intelligence Leadership into 2006 with Continued Growth and New Market Expansion

Momentum Continues as Companies Realize Value of Industry Intelligence throughout Sales Cycle

Raleigh, NC – January 25, 2006 – First Research Inc., the leading industry intelligence company, today announced that it experienced significant growth and expansion in 2005, including a 40% increase in revenue. The company also reached a key milestone in the number of individuals using its Industry Intelligence Sales Tools, with more than 50,000 users by the end of 2005. To meet the growing demand for its Industry Intelligence Sales Tools, the company increased its employee base by more than 36%. First Research continues to capture new markets and has expanded its outreach to include the insurance, accounting and technology/software verticals with plans for continued growth in 2006.

“Our success and growth in 2005 further demonstrates the value that First Research brings to any sales team or customer facing organization by helping them connect with customers and prospects across multiple industries,” said Bobby Martin, First Research president and co-founder. “We are extremely pleased that our industry intelligence products are becoming an integral part of so many sales processes – and ultimately increasing our customers’ success.”

First Research expanded its outreach in 2005 to include the insurance, accounting and technology verticals where industry intelligence solutions can help sales professionals confidently communicate with customers to capture business opportunities across a variety of industries.

“First Research gives our sales & sales support teams access to information about a number of vertical industries, and the opportunities and challenges our customers face,” explained Elaine Teague, Manager – SAS Library & Information Services, SAS Institute Inc. “It’s a valuable competitive tool that helps them recommend the most appropriate products and services for those customers.”

First Research employee growth in 2005 included a 66% increase in the number of sales professionals, including the addition of new account managers and implementation managers to handle direct customer needs. Other employee additions included new technology team members to ensure that First Research’s products continue to meet customers’ needs as well as new marketing hires to enhance communications with customers and extend awareness into new markets.

2006 promises to be another successful year for First Research, with plans already in place to introduce new products and technology enhancements, new customer wins and new strategic partnerships.

“Our goal going forward is simple – to continue doing everything we can to ensure that customers get the most value from our Industry Intelligence Sales Tools,” explained Martin.

About First Research
First Research is the leading industry intelligence company that helps sales teams perform faster and smarter, open doors and close more deals. First Research performs the “heavy lifting” by synthesizing hundreds of sources into an easy to digest format a sales person can consume very quickly to better understand a prospect’s or client’s business issues. First Research updates each Industry Profile quarterly and pushes out Email Alerts to ensure content is both timely and top of mind. Customers include leading companies in banking, technology, telecommunications, business process outsourcing and professional services such as Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and Sprint. 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 SAS
SAS is the market leader in providing a new generation of business intelligence software and services that create true enterprise intelligence. SAS solutions are used at 40,000 sites – including 96 of the top 100 companies on the FORTUNE Global 500® – to develop more profitable relationships with customers and suppliers; to enable better, more accurate and informed decisions; and to drive organizations forward. SAS is the only vendor that completely integrates leading data warehousing, analytics and traditional BI applications to create intelligence from massive amounts of data. For three decades, SAS has been giving customers around the world The Power to Know®. Visit us at www.sas.com.  SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and other countries. ® Indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies.

###

Media Contact:
Shawn Ramsey
Crossroads Public Relations (on behalf of First Research)
(919) 359-0947 (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