BRIEF TRANSMISSIONS

Automatic Data Processing, Inc. has tapped former Quotron Systems, Inc. director Robert Casale as new president of Brokerage Information Services Group and ADP director, replacing Ric Duques (MTR, August 1987). Casale had been managing director at Kidder, Peabody & Co. and co-director of Kidder's technology/telecom investment banking operation. Previously, he was executive vice president, business products, at AT&T Information Systems, where he oversaw now-defunct AT&T/Quotron venture (MTR, September 1986). Casale was appointed to Quotron board in March 1986, but resigned weeks later, citing conflict of interest, when Citicorp launched takeover bid. Casale is thought to be first person to have served on both Quotron and ADP boards.

Giltnet Ltd., Australian partner of Telerate, Inc. in "Tactician" analysis product, plans to port Tactician software to Sun Microsystems workstation environment in coming months, according to January 5th analyst's report from Cazenove Australia Pty. Ltd. Giltnet is also developing "global real-time equities system," report says, possibly in conjunction with Telerate's recent CMQ acquisition (MTR, November 1987). "Monthly charge for Tactician is approximately $3,400" in Japan, says report, compared with $1,400 in U.S. Cazenove expects Giltnet to earn A$1 million on revenue of A$4.7 million in 1988. Its recommendation: buy.

Marketview Software, Inc. also is working on porting popular analytics package to workstation environment, says president Wes Cole. Environment is Apollo/Unix, primarily at behest of Chicago Research and Trading, big Marketview/Apollo customer. Watch for other developers of PC-based analytics software to begin DOS-to-Unix shuffle in coming months.

Toronto-based Eastern Datacom Systems Ltd. has acquired TSA Proforma Inc., developer of Proquote analysis software. Eastern plans to integrate Proquote with Omen real-time quote system widely used by Vancouver brokers. Omen PC-based system uses six megabyte above-board to maintain market database from S&P Ticker III. Deal throws wrench into plans of competitor Starquote Systems, which uses Proquote as default receiver software for newly acquired Multipoint service (MTR, October 1987). "We're not serving the Multipoint customers at all in terms of selling them any more TSA Proforma packages," says Eastern president Sid Belzberg. Deal doesn't affect Proquote users in U.S., including CQI/Comstock and Bonneville Telecommunications. Proquote developer Bill St. Arnaud has two-year contract with Eastern, says Belzberg.

Two regional brokerage firms should be next to announce plans to move their branch information networks to satellite. Columbus-based Ohio Company has already picked Ku-band vendor, sources say, while St. Louis-based A.G. Edwards, is in final planning stages.