J.D. Power and Associates Celebrates 40th Anniversary of Representing the Voice of the Customer

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., April 1, 2008 -- Global marketing information firm J.D. Power and Associates, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, celebrates its 40th anniversary today, marking four decades of fulfilling the mission set by founder J.D. "Dave" Power III of integrating the voice of the customer into business strategy to improve quality and customer satisfaction.

In 1968, Power established J.D. Power and Associates from his kitchen table, with a primary focus in the automotive industry. Since that time, the firm has successfully influenced the everyday lives of consumers and industries worldwide, and has expanded to include offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific.

Under the leadership of President Steve Goodall, J.D. Power and Associates has also established a strong and growing presence globally as well as in several important industries outside of the automotive realm, including: finance and insurance, healthcare, home building, telecommunications, travel and utilities.

"During the past 40 years, we've experienced tremendous growth and success by expanding the scope of our services to include industries beyond our beginnings in the automotive industry," said Power. "As we move forward, we are excited about continuing this success and expanding our reach to influence and improve customer satisfaction for businesses and consumers throughout the world."

J.D. Power and Associates currently has more than 800 employees in 14 offices around the world.

"Our growth and success over the past 40 years is due to the hard work and dedication of our associates," said Goodall. "Recent additional investments in people and new technologies will enhance and accelerate the way in which we capture and assess the voice of the customer in the digital world. These capabilities will provide our clients with added insights and relevance as we help them integrate the voice of the customer into their operations."

         Timeline: J.D. Power and Associates' Decades of Success

  1960s
  --  April 1, 1968: Dave Power and his wife Julie start the firm from the
      kitchen table in their Calabasas, Calif., home.
  --  Feb. 7, 1969: J.D. Power and Associates incorporates.
  --  1969: J.D. Power and Associates enters the auto market with its first
      client Toyota Motor Company.
  --  1969: Additional J.D. Power clients include: McCulloch Corporation,
      Ampex Consumer Products Group, U.S. Borax, Carnation, Toyota and MSI
      Data Systems.

  1970s
  --  1973: The Wall Street Journal reports Mazda's Wankel engine problems,
      based on data from one of the first J.D. Power and Associates
      independently funded surveys. The firm gains national prominence for
      its voice of the customer data.
  --  1976: The Dealer Attitude Study (DAS) launches. The DAS gave the firm
      credibility on retail and distributor issues and established a strong
      rapport with auto dealers. The DAS preceded the National Automobile
      Dealers Association's own Dealer Attitude Study.

  1980s
  --  1980s: Publication debuts -- Automotive Consumer Profile Newsletter,
      Power Newsletter and The Power Report.
  --  1981: U.S. Automotive Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Study
      launches. The new study is the cornerstone of the firm's plan to
      expand to include independently funded syndicated studies within the
      auto industry.
  --  1984: Subaru became the first automaker to advertise its J.D. Power
      rankings by running a commercial during Super Bowl XVIII.  Since then,
      more than 350,000 television commercials and more than 7 billion print
      ad impressions refer to J.D. Power awards annually.
  --  1987: International Automotive Roundtable and SuperDealer Roundtables
      meet for the first time.
  --  1987: U.S. Automotive Initial Quality Study (IQS) and U.S. Automotive
      Media Study debut.
  --  1988: Joint venture in Japan is established and later becomes a wholly
      owned subsidiary responsible for business in Asia Pacific.
  --  1989: The first automotive syndicated study trophy award was issued by
      J.D. Power and Associates. Acura ranked highest in the 1989 U.S.
      Automotive Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) Study.
  --  1989: The first regional office opens in Troy, Michigan led by Steve
      Goodall.

  1990s
  --  1990: Power Information Network (PIN) launches. PIN is a unique,
      nationwide data collection system based on the gathering and analysis
      of daily new-vehicle retail transaction data from automotive
      dealerships across the United States.
  --  1992: Travel practice area is established.
  --  1992: J.D. Power III receives a Distinguished Service Citation from
      the Automotive Hall of Fame.
  --  1994: JDPA's rapid international expansion, led by J.D. Power IV,
      begins in Toronto, Canada.
  --  1995: The firm's first European location opens in the UK.
  --  1995: Telecom practice area is established.
  --  1996: Stephen C. Goodall named President.
  --  1997: Homebuilder practice area is established.
  --  1999: JD Power.com is launched: Power Circle Ratings bring syndicated
      study highlights directly to consumers without charge.
  --  1999: An office in Singapore was opened to broaden J.D. Power Asia
      Pacific's activities in Asia.

  2000s
  --  2000: JDPA announces its joint venture in Australia.
  --  2000: First syndicated study launches in China.
  --  2001: Healthcare practice area is established.
  --  2002: J.D. Power and Associates moves to current headquarters in
      Westlake Village, Calif.
  --  2004: Expansion continues in Europe with an office opening in Munich,
      Germany.
  --  2005: Business in Asia continues to grow as JDPA opens offices in
      Shanghai, China.
  --  2005: J.D. Power and Associates is acquired by The McGraw-Hill
      Companies on April 1.
  --  2006: J.D. Power and Associates acquires Automotive Resources Asia,
      which specializes in Asia's vehicle markets to continue to expand
      presences in Asia.
  --  2006: Retail Banking practice area is established.
  --  2006:  The first J.D. Power book, SATISFACTION: How Every Great
      Company Listens To the Voice of the Customer written by J.D. Power IV
      and Chris Denove is published.
  --  2008: Pending acquisition of a marketing intelligence technology
      company specializing in social media and consumer-generated media
      research.

  About J.D. Power and Associates

Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services firm operating in key business sectors including market research, forecasting, performance improvement, training and customer satisfaction. The firm's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies

Founded in 1888, The McGraw-Hill Companies is a leading global information services provider meeting worldwide needs in the financial services, education and business information markets through leading brands such as Standard & Poor's, McGraw-Hill Education, BusinessWeek and J.D. Power and Associates. The Corporation has more than 280 offices in 40 countries. Sales in 2007 were $6.8 billion. Additional information is available at http://www.mcgraw-hill.com/.