WHO WE ARE.
We are strategic partners who believe each research project should be custom tailored.
-
We utilize unobtrusive measures to gather data.
-
We use data to inform decision-making.
-
We are experts in understanding the nuances of African-American voters and consumers.
-
We have studied the 1.1 trillion dollars African-American consumer market for 30 years.
-
We can go anywhere and research any population.
-
We once conducted a study of 1,100 heroin addicts in Baltimore for a major university.
-
We have high-level academic training in statistical techniques and modeling.
About Us
Lester & Associates is a market research company that conducts quantitative and qualitative research. The firm's clients include political campaigns, corporations, managed care organizations, hospitals, universities, and non-profits. Since our founding in 1991, we have completed more than 1,000 research projects.
The firm has significant international experience, having worked in Ethiopia, South Africa, Antigua, the Bahamas, Barbados, St. Kitts & Nevis, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, St. Maarten, St. Vincent, and Puerto Rico. Our roots are in analytical and public opinion research and political campaign management. Our work is focused on providing research that is actionable and informs decision-making. Research beats guesses every time. It always has and always will.
We work with political candidates for local, state, and federal offices across the country. Between 1990 and 2022, the firm conducted research for 22 winning congressional campaigns, including Jasmine Crockett (Texas 30th CD) and Jonathan Jackson (Illinois CD1), in the 2022 election cycle. In December 2021, the firm conducted research and developed a strategy for Andre Dicken's winning campaign for Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia.
On the corporate side, we have helped firms like Exelon, MedStar, AmeriHealth Caritas, Dow Chemical, Sony, and Walmart understand their consumer audiences better. The firm has conducted research studies for Howard University, Morehouse College, Hampton University, and Virginia Commonwealth University.
The firm is led by Ron Lester, who has over 30 years of experience and has moderated over 500 focus groups. We believe every project is unique, and we work in close collaboration with our clients and their team to provide custom-tailored, creative, and insightful research. Teamwork is a guiding principle for us.
Our Team
Ronald L. Lester, M.C.P.
Ron Lester is a pollster and strategic consultant with over 30 years of experience. He has conducted polling and focus groups for more than 20 winning congressional campaigns between 1992 and 2016. Lester initially came to Washington, D.C., to work at Porter, Novelli, and Associates and is trained in quantitative analysis and statistical modeling. In 1980 Lester worked with the Carter-Mondale Presidential Committee as a staff member, serving as a liaison between Presidential scheduling and polling. Lester conducted focus groups and polling for Clinton-Gore in 1996 and Hillary Clinton for President in 2016. Lester has been a consultant for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee for the last three election cycles. Lester has worked on numerous big-city Mayoral races, statewide campaigns, and grassroots campaigns and brings a wealth of experience to each project.
Ron Lester holds a B.S. in Political Science from Northeastern University and an M.C.P. degree in Urban Studies and Planning from M.I.T. with a concentration in statistical analysis and modeling. Lester has served as an Adjunct Professor of Government and Politics at the Wilder School of Government at Virginia Commonwealth University.