The studies conducted by Specifics, Inc. are only as good as the people who work on them. Because we work so closely with you to get the information you need, we believe that you should feel as comfortable with our employees as you do with your own. The biographies on some of our employees are featured here.
Joseph H. Blumberg, CEO of Specifics, Inc. and VERTEX Management, Inc. Joe Blumberg’s background in computer programming and human resources provides the foundation for both Specifics and VERTEX. 
Before starting VERTEX in 1983, Mr. Blumberg was Vice President of Human Resources and Administration for Comshare, Inc., a timesharing services and software products firm. Prior to Comshare, Joe managed a data communications sales team at AT&T and taught in the Bell System Data Communications School. He led a programming group to develop an on-line service order entry system for Bell Operating Companies. In '69, he founded a Bell System School for data systems managers, designers and programming personnel. In 1974, Joe joined the Berwind Corporation as an internal management consultant to the operating companies of this natural resource and technology-based manufacturing conglomerate.
Joe earned a degree in computer science and electrical engineering from the University of Toledo and holds a Master of Science degree from Case Western Reserve University. He has completed post graduate course work in organization behavior and computer science.
Brett Garrison, Vice President - Director of Research for Specifics, Inc. Brett Garrison brings a varied background to Specifics, Inc. 
Before joining Specifics, Brett served as Marketing Director for Technical Software Development, Inc. (TSD), an I.T. Consulting Services company. Prior to TSD, Brett spent over 13 years in the Financial Services industry with ING Group, most recently as Senior Manager of Strategic Marketing, where he had responsibility for several large-scale Sales Force Automation and Remote Communications projects. Brett began his career in Electronic Data Systems’ (EDS’) Systems Engineering Development program.
Brett was in the Honors Program at the University of Georgia, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Statistics. And while with ING, Brett earned a Fellow of the Life Management Institute (FLMI) designation, With Distinction, specializing in Human Resources.
Steve Hale, Project Manager. Steve Hale joined Specifics' project management team in the fall of 1999. Since then, Steve has conducted a series of studies and provided the data analysis for IT software clients. His many years of experience with analysis software has been instrumental enhancing Specifics analysis methodology.
Steve comes to Specifics with over 15 years of applied research experience in the social sciences. Before joining Specifics, he served as a research associate with ODR, Inc., a multinational management consulting firm that provides research and consulting services to Fortune 500 companies in the areas of organizational psychology and change management.
Prior to ODR, Steve spent 11 years as a senior research analyst with Essex Corporation providing contractual research expertise to the U.S. government in the areas of engineering psychology, systems testing, human performance measurement and safety. Steve began his professional career as a research psychologist with the U.S. Air Force Human Resources Laboratory. He has considerable professional experience in the areas of research design and methodology, employee and customer satisfaction measurement, organizational research, systems design, and statistical methods.
Steve graduated from Wright State University with a Master's degree in Applied Behavioral Science specializing in research design and statistics, engineering psychology, and program evaluation. He earned a Bachelor's degree in psychology from Georgia Southern College.
Jessica Linden, Research Associate. Jessica brings experience as a thirty year career employee with IBM to Specifics. Having joined IBM as a statistician and then an SE, she served IBM both as a Systems Engineering Manager and as a Systems and Programming Manager before moving into the marketing organization. In her last position as Program Manager for the IBM Financial Services Industry Client/Server Program, she was responsible for integration planning with Independent Software Vendors and IBM Business Partners. Jessica also directed the development of installation and implementation documentation for IBM banking systems. She holds a B.A. degree in Mathematics from Duke University.
Howard (Howie) Pinkus, Research Associate. Howie brings experience as a thirty year career employee with IBM to Specifics. Having joined IBM as an SE working on the American Airlines Sabre System, he advanced to positions as Engineering Manager, and Product Manager for small and midrange systems (S/34, S/36). Howie’s next responsibility as a Software Product Manager was to develop industry specific software products for the same systems. He then became Manager of Systems Integration Programs for the Finance Industry, working with internal staff and other integrators through teaming initiatives to solve large complex system problems. Mr. Pinkus completed his IBM career as the Director of Business Partner Programs for the Wholesale Distribution Industry. Mr. Pinkus holds a B.S. degree in Physics from City College of New York.
Stephen J. Blumberg, Ph.D. is a Research Advisor to Specifics. Dr. Blumberg received his Ph.D. in social psychology and quantitative methods from the University of Texas in 1997 and his undergraduate degree from theUniversity of Virginia in 1992. In addition to his role as an advisor, Dr.Blumberg is a Survey Statistician and Research Investigator for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. His methodological research concerns the reduction of non-response and biased responding in telephone surveys, especially on sensitive topics. He has also been nationally recognized for his design of computer-assisted interviews on children's health care utilization and satisfaction.
Prior to his work at the CDC, Dr. Blumberg was on the faculty of the University of Texas as a researcher and award-winning instructor of statistics and research methods. He has published articles in the field of questionnaire design and scale construction, and has been a regular presenter at meetings of the American Psychological Society. Specifics has used Dr. Blumberg's research to assist in the design of questionnaires to improve the validity of responses and minimize the chances for random error.
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