Our History

The Beginning

Adler Weiner Research draws its roots back to the historic Lincoln Square neighborhood of Chicago in the 1960s. It all started in Ruth Adler’s kitchen. Her husband, who worked in advertising, came home one day and told Ruth his clients wanted to hear what women thought about their laundry products. He asked Ruth to gather some friends together, go into the neighborhood, and ask women if they were willing to invite a few friends over for a parlor meeting. She did just that and here we are 50 years later still doing ethnographies!

The Partnership

Five years later, Ruth formally opened up shop. Betty Weiner was busy raising three children and spent her free time volunteering for Michael Reese Hospital, but when Ruth asked Betty to be a partner, Betty couldn’t say no and embraced the challenge. She joined Ruth at the office, and so began their business. It didn’t take long before Betty approached Ruth with a proposal for partnership, and together they opened up their first true market research facility in downtown Chicago on Oak Street. Betty and Ruth were business partners for over 40 years, until Ruth decided it was time to step down and enjoy the luxuries of retirement. 

The Development

Betty was a leader in the Chicago market research arena and created relationships with clients that still stand today. She maintained the business for many years, moving the company to our current downtown office at the John Hancock Center in 1994. She opened the Lincolnwood office in 1970, and the first California office in Brentwood in 1989. She witnessed many technology changes in the industry over those years: the invention of fax machines and computers, and the death of typewriters and the 3 x 5-card Dewey-decimal-style database.

The Future

When Betty sadly passed in 1995, her son, Scott Weiner, took over as President and her daughter-in-law, Andi, took Betty’s place as Managing Director. As motivated and quality-oriented as Ruth and Betty before them, Scott and Andi have lead Adler Weiner through continued successes and growth. The family business has continued to expand: in 2007, Adler Weiner Research Orange County opened its doors in Irvine, California, and the Los Angeles offices built a stunning new facility in 2011. Building on Ruth and Betty’s core value of exceptional quality and a commitment to the partnerships they nurtured, we hope to offer Adler Weiner’s excellence in service to your research project.