Westat

Infobox_Company
company_name = Westat
industry = Contract research
company_type = Employee-owned
foundation = Rockville, Maryland (1961)
company_
location = Rockville, Maryland
key_people = Graham Kalton Chairman of the Board Joseph A. Hunt President
Thomas W. McKenna Executive Vice President Renee F. Slobasky Senior Vice President James E. Smith Senior Vice President
products = [http://www.westat.com/wesvar/ WesVar]
[http://www.westat.com/blaise/ Blaise]
revenue = $425.8 million USD (2006) [http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/54/54668.html]
homepage = [http://www.westat.com/ www.westat.com]

Westat is an employee-owned research corporation serving agencies of the U.S. Government, as well as businesses, foundations, and state and local governments.

In addition to the company’s capabilities as a leading statistical survey research organization, Westat has developed skills and experience in custom research and program evaluation studies across a broad range of subject areas. Westat also has the technical expertise in survey and analytical methods, computer systems technology, biomedical science, and clinical trials.

Westat's research, technical, and administrative staff of more than 1,900 are located at its headquarters in Rockville, Maryland, near Washington, DC. Depending on the number of active projects at any time, up to several thousand data collection and processing staff work at Westat's survey processing facilities, at the Telephone Research Center facilities, and at data collection sites throughout the nation. Westat also maintains research offices near its clients in Durham, North Carolina; Atlanta, Georgia; and Houston, Texas.

Capabilities

Westat has conducted studies on a diverse range of topics:
*Health conditions and expenditures;
*Academic achievement and literacy;
*Medical treatments and outcomes;
*Exposure assessments;
*Program evaluation;
*Information management and communications solutions; and
*Respondent knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors.

The company combines the relevant program area expertise with the capabilities to perform major survey research projects: study design and analysis, methodology, survey data collection, information technology, and web evaluation and design.

Research Areas

Westat has an established reputationWho|date=July 2008 for performing successful research studies in a wide range of programs and subject areas: health, social services, housing, energy, education, transportation, the environment, human services, military human resources, and the burgeoning science and technology sector. Westat is also a leader in designing and administering customer satisfaction surveys and providing consulting services and marketing research to meet client requirements. Westat is a full-service research corporationFact|date=July 2008.

Westat Statistical Software

Westat supports two software packages for statistics professionals: WesVar and Blaise.

WesVar is a software package that computes estimates and replicate variance estimates for data collected using complex sampling and estimation procedures. Complete information is available at the [http://www.westat.com/wesvar/ WesVar home page] .

Westat is the distributor in the United States and Canada for the Blaise family of software, a complete survey processing system. Complete information is available at the [http://www.westat.com/blaise/ Blaise home page] .

Employee Ownership

Ownership by employees provides a stable organizational framework for long-term growth and development. All employees can earn a share of ownership through the Westat Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). Since the introduction of the plan in 1977, the value of employee holdings has grown with the company’s success as a research organization and with the growth of the staff. Stock earned through the ESOP supplements other fringe benefits, which include a 401(k) plan, health and life insurance, and vacation, holiday, and sick time. Advanced degrees and professional development activities are supported by reimbursement for approved college courses and for attendance at professional meetings.

Financial Performance

Top 10 of the Market Research Sector 2006

Office Locations

Westat’s main campus is located in Rockville, Maryland, with additional staff offices near its clients in Atlanta, Georgia; Durham, North Carolina; and Houston, Texas. The company’s interviewing, field operations, and survey data processing facilities are located throughout the nation:

Maryland:
*Rockville
*Gaithersburg
*Frederick

California:
*Sacramento
*Merced

Florida:
*Sarasota

External links

* [http://www.westat.com Westat home page]
* [http://www.marketingpower.com/content/honointl25.pdf Top 25 Marketing Research Firms]