Jan is the president of The Research Dept, a market research consultancy established in 1990, offering project specification, design and management for both qualitative and quantitative studies. She is a well-seasoned focus group moderator and expert analyst and writer of research results and marketing and communications plans.

Jan began her career in market research more than twenty years ago as a project manager for The Creative Group, moving to Young & Rubicam in 1982. Initially at Y&R she wore several hats--research assistant on the Lincoln-Mercury account, affidavit writer for advertising claims--all while running the library, where she established the agency's first interactive information database. Using the library resources, she wrote situation analyses for new business prospects, and was promoted to marketing executive with responsibility for new business strategic planning, prospecting and development. Rounding out her career at Y&R, she became senior research executive on the non-automotive accounts with strategic planning responsibilities for all accounts.

As research manager for the Yellow Pages Publishers Association, she handled all aspects of market and media research for the fourth largest advertising medium. While there, she designed, developed and marketed an interactive database of statistics from a 90,000+ respondent tracking study. Creating a marketing plan to sell to major telecommunications companies, she hit the road, recouping development costs in the second year of the product's availability.

Since founding The Research Dept, Jan has worked with regional and national clients in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Projects have ranged from feasibility studies for entrepreneurs to developing business plans for Fortune 100 companies. Many studies have been for the purpose of giving direction or credence to consumer and business to business communications.

She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Northern Michigan University and is a member of the American Marketing Association.