Wilson Research Strategies

Wilson Research Strategies (WRS)

This firm, founded according to its website in 1998, claims as of April 2006 to have "conducted over 1,500 research engagements in numerous countries around the world." Its primary work is the "launching new corporate initiatives and winning political campaigns, both here and abroad." Besides collecting and analyzing data, it develops "actionable strategies and tactics to best position our clients with respect to their competitors" and has "issued hundreds of press releases, been quoted in major media outlets, and have made numerous appearances on MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, CNBC, and C-SPAN."

According to a February 25, 2002 article in Washington Business Journal, "Opinion researcher Wilson rings up 411" WRS acquired 411 Communications that month. WRS entered into a stategic relationship with Qorvis Communications the preceeding August. [1] There is no longer any relationship with Qorvis.

Approach

According to its website, WRS "leverages diverse skill sets and a vast collective experience in advertising, marketing, sales, politics, business, and operations."

Areas of expertise

• Energy and Utilities
• Healthcare and Pharmaceuticals
• Government Affairs
• Associations
• Consumer Goods
• Real Estate and Land Use
• Technology and Telecommunications
• Sports and Entertainment
• Transportation and Logistics
• Financial Services

Clients

WRS states that its clients include over 100 of the current Fortune 500 corporations, with a focus in the Energy, Health Care and Consumer Marketing sectors. According to the web index DMOZ Open Directory Project, in addition to major corporations, the firm firm serves "Republican candidates and conservative organizations." [2]. As of February 25, Washington Business Journal said of WRS, "About 30 to 40 percent of the company's work is political and its biggest clients include Pfizer, Saudi Arabia and the National Restaurant Association." [3]

WRS also conducts the bi-weekly Air War "[4]" study for The Hill newspaper [5] which has become a popular feature for the Washington, DC newspaper, measuring the reaction to political and public affairs advertising.

Proprietary Methods

• Reputation Index
• Message Mapping
• Passion Index
• Optimal Communications Strategy
• Migration Strategies and Tactics
• Capitol Hill IQ
• Panel-based Internet Surveys
• Donor Enhancement Research
• Economic Impact Analysis

Principals

As of April 2006, the company's website lists the following as "Senior Management":

Chris Wilson, Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Wilson is the former Global Director of Research for Weber-Shandwick International, at the time the world's largest public relations firm. Wilson has a background in campaign strategy, political media, and message development, particularly in the South and Midwest. In 1999, Chris was named a "Mover and Shaker" in American politics by Campaigns & Elections magazine. He has been involved in every Republican Presidential campaign since 1992.

Wilson regularly lectures on research, strategy, and national trends and has been quoted in The Washington Post, The Washington Times, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. He has appeared as a pundit on MSNBC, Fox News, CNN, and C-SPAN. He graduated from the University of Oklahoma and Georgetown University.

Bryon Allen, Vice President of Methodology and Advanced Analytics

Bryon Allen is Vice President of Methodology and Advanced Analytics and Director of Political Division Operations for Wilson Research Strategies, a national survey research firm.

Bryon has directed polling projects for a variety of clients, including U.S. Senate campaigns; House races in Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and Nebraska; and the NRCC Independent Expenditures Unit. Bryon has also managed public affairs and corporate research in a variety of areas, including mergers and acquisitions, health care, life insurance, annuities, jury selection, energy development, and renewable and alternative energy. In addition to his polling experience, Bryon has worked on and managed campaigns ranging from school board and municipal elections to U.S. Congressional campaigns.

Prior to joining Wilson Research, Bryon was a project director at Public Opinion Strategies during the 2005/2006 election cycle. Previously, Bryon taught statistics in the Graduate School of Public Administration at the University of Colorado at Denver while working toward a Ph.D. at Colorado State University. Bryon also served for two years as a desk officer in the White House Office of Management and Budget’s Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs overseeing statistical data collections and economic analyses of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Department of Energy and U.S Nuclear Regulator Commission.

Bryon will receive his Ph.D. from Colorado State University in August of 2007; he earned a Masters of Public Service and Administration from the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University in 2001 and a Bachelor’s degree from Trinity University in 1999.

Tyler Harber, Vice President

Tyler Harber is Vice-President and the Director of the Political Division at Wilson Research Strategies, a national political and public affairs survey research firm. With extensive training and experience in quantitative and qualitative research, strategic communications, and campaign management, Harber is an expert at developing winning strategies for both political and public affairs campaigns.

Prior to joining WRS, Harber was a Project Director at Public Opinion Strategies where he managed hundreds of quantitative and qualitative research projects for domestic and international political and public affairs clients. Harber was also a Partner at National Public Strategies, where he developed targeted solutions for political and marketing operations.

Harber’s work experience includes some of the most competitive political races around the world. In 2006, Harber’s team helped manage the research and strategy for four winning U.S. Senate races, six winning Republican Governors, 46 Members of Congress, as well as numerous down-ticket statewide and legislative winners. He has also served on strategic research teams for political and public affairs campaigns throughout Europe.

Harber is based in Wilson Research Strategies’ Washington, D.C. office.

Ryan Steusloff, Vice President

Ryan Steusloff is a veteran of past campaigns throughout the Midwest and has worked in both the Michigan State Legislature as well as the United States Congress.

Prior to joining WRS, Ryan worked as the campaign manager for a tightly contested congressional race in Ohio, where he implemented and executed multiple innovative strategies that earned him the respect of his opponents. Ryan has on the ground experience that gives him an understanding of the day to day operations of a political campaign as well as the challenges faced by every campaign.

While working in the Michigan State legislature and the U.S Congress, Ryan gained a unique insight and experience and an expertise in all areas of policy with a specific focus in the areas of education, taxation, and social security reform. That experience gives Ryan a understanding and perspective that adds value to any campaign.

While at WRS, Ryan has managed over dozens of various research projects on multiple political and corporate campaigns. During the 2006 election cycle so far Ryan has managed the research for a number of multiple statewide, congressional, and state level candidates. Highlighting the cycle, Ryan has assisted in the polling effort for Congressman Mike Pence, Kenny Hulshof and Ernest Istook in his campaign for Governor of Oklahoma. Ryan has also involved in the research on such varied issues as health care, education reform, non-profit donor enhancement, litigation/tort reform, crisis management, corporate image and media testing.

Ryan is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a degree in History and Philosophy.

Rusty Appleton, Project Manager and Analyst

Rusty Appleton serves WRS as a Project Manager and Analyst. Previously, Appleton played a leadership role in one of the most hotly contested political campaigns of the 2006 election cycle. With a background in political and issue campaigns, Appleton is familiar with all the aspects of working with public opinion to win.

In 2006, Appleton was involved in an extensive grassroots effort, and headed up the implementation of broad and innovative finance, research and grassroots strategies that made an extremely late-entry candidate viable.

In both the political and corporate arenas, Appleton has experience in developing strategic recommendations based upon public opinion research. Since joining WRS, he has played an integral part in projects involving media firms, statewide issue campaigns, several legislative campaign efforts, many conservative non-profit organizations and university athletic departments, to name just a few.

A recent graduate of the University of Central Oklahoma’s School of Political Science, Appleton has a strong background in political statistics and information management. His statistical knowledge is an asset to the firm in both political and corporate work.

Can Pham, Vice President and Director of Corporate Division Operations

Pham is Vice President and Director of Corporate Division Operations for WRS in the Oklahoma City office. He is originally from San Jose, California, where he grew up and attended college. Aside from participating in numerous student organizations during college, Pham has a solid business foundation from working as financial planner and entrepreneur.

Pham is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where he received a double major in Economics and Applied Mathematics. He brings to WRS extensive training in mathematical modeling, quantitative analysis, and research methodology. For his academic achievements, Pham was awarded membership to the Omicron Delta Epsilon International Economics Honors Society.

Daniel Ward, Vice President, Director of Corporate Services

Daniel Ward is currently a Vice President with Wilson Research Strategies specializing in both quantitative and qualitative market research. Ward is rapidly becoming recognized as one of the brightest young minds in the fields of university and non-profit organization market research.

Daniel has been instrumental in the advancement of Wilson Research Strategies’ Donor Enhancement Research™ and the development of WRS’ newest donor research methodology, the Donor Commitment Index® Ward has also been the featured speaker at several marketing seminars discussing these, and other, unique and advanced research methodologies.

Ward is a graduate of the Price College of Business at the University of Oklahoma where he was a member of the President’s and Dean’s lists as well as various national honor societies. He has a B.A. in marketing.

Jake Parsons, Political Project Manager/Analyst

Jake Parsons is a seasoned political professional with experience in political and legislative campaigns across the Western United States.

Prior to joining WRS, Parsons served as Deputy Campaign Manager on a major gubernatorial race. In this capacity he oversaw management, donor enhancement, and a large scale field operation.

Previously, Parsons worked for a full service political communications firm in San Diego, California, where he lead the development of sophisticated electoral models and implemented effective campaign strategy. He has also served multiple members of the California State Legislature, and frequently lectures on campaign and policy issues.

Parsons' extensive political and legislative background gives him insight into the operations of winning political, legislative and corporate campaigns. At WRS, Parsons uses his broad experience and expertise to provide clear vision to clients in varied fields.

Ellis Stromberg, Office Manager

Stromberg previously served at Van Scoyoc Associates, Inc., a Washington, D.C. government relations firms. There she assisted six lobbyists with their work before the United States Congress and federal agencies in the areas of energy, transportation, defense, higher education, and information technology issues. She also assisted the firm with press matters, website maintenance, and logistical planning. She is a native of Ardmore, Oklahoma and a 1994 graduate of the University of Oklahoma.

Former Principals

Chris Ingram

Chris Ingram, founder of 411 Communications, became a principal in WRS, as a result of its acquisition of his company. Prior to founding 411 Communications, Ingram was the senior vice president of the Luntz Research Companies where he managed the day-to-day functions of the office, directed corporate and political client relations, and oversaw polling and communications for clients including American Express, the Republican National Committee, Rudy Giuliani and the National Rifle Association.

Bill Cullo, Executive Vice President

Cullo, who served as deputy director of polling for the presidential campaign of former senator Robert J. Dole (R-Kan.) and served at the research firm of Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates joined WRS in July 2004, according to the July 1 "Special Interests" column by Washington Post writer Judy Sarasohn. [6]]

Contact Details

Although it describes its Oklahoma City address as a sattelite office, the company lists that number as its prime contact and many of its principals are located there, as opposed to its Washington, DC headquarters.

email: info@w-r-s.com
1601 N.W. Expressway, Suite 300
Oklahoma City, OK 73118
405-286-6500

Washington, D.C. office
324 Second Street, SE
Washington, DC 20003
202-544-7655

External Link

WRS company website

References

• "Opinion researcher Wilson rings up 411," Washington Business Journal - February 25, 2002.
• "Agency listing in the category Society: Political: Cunsultants" DMOZ Open Directory Project website accessed April 9, 2006.