April 24, 1998

ABI Divisions Will Move to NY Suburbs

RAMAPO, NY -- American Business Information, Omaha, NE, will consolidate its East Coast operations at a new facility here. It will serve as headquarters for its Database America division and parts of the newly acquired Walter Karl Inc. and allow for future expansion. New York Gov. George Pataki joined ABI chairman Vin Gupta and Database America president Al Ambrosino at a press conference April 23 that announced the purchase of 26 acres and unveiled plans for a 200,000-square foot facility. Database America will relocate from Montvale, NJ, in fall 1999. The project is expected to bring between 600 and 1,200 jobs to Rockland County. Although ABI lost its bid to acquire Metromail Corp., Gupta said he will continue to go after list companies with annual revenues in excess of $5 million. "We plan to expand more and more in New York because that is where the talent is,'' he said. The data and computer processing divisions of Walter Karl are being integrated into Database America, but Walter Karl co-president Sheldon Zaslansky said its growing list management and brokerage business will remain in Greenwich, CT, for now.