Joseph Waksberg, who helped invent a widely used method of conducting phone surveys so they efficiently reach people with unlisted as well as listed phone numbers, died on January 10 at a Washington-area hospital, said fellow survey researcher Warren Mitofsky. He was 90. With Mitofsky, Waksberg developed methods that improved the efficiency in drawing a representative sample of the population using random-digit dialing, a crucial technique in telephone polling. Waksberg, who was born in Poland and emigrated with his family to the United States in 1921, joined the Census Bureau in 1940 and stayed there for 33 years. He retired as the agency’s associate director for statistical methods, research and standards. He then joined the Maryland statistical research firm Westat and became chairman of the board in 1990. He served for 30 years as a consultant on election night predictions for CBS and later for a cooperative of news media.
London research firm TNS has named former Chairman Tony Cowling president and special advisor. TNS named Donald Brydon chairman and added Pedro Ros to its board as managing director - global clients and sectors.
Separately, Cowling received the MRS Gold Medal from Britain’s Market Research Society to celebrate his 40+ years of service to the market research industry.
Laura Kippen has been tapped as the new head of the service sector research practice division at Market Probe, a Milwaukee research firm.
Princeton, N.J.-based consumer products firm Church & Dwight Co., Inc. has named Bruce F. Fleming chief marketing officer. Marketing research will be among his responsibilities.
Scarborough Research, New York, has named Edwin Batson to lead its newspaper custom research services division as vice president of custom research.
Patrick J. Burns has been named vice president of strategic planning and new business development at apparel maker Kellwood. He will work out of the company’s New York office.
King Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Bristol, Tenn., has named Dean Slack vice president, business development and strategy for international, and the strategic marketing research department.
Research firm Synovate has named Lisa Araj vice president of client services for its travel and tourism group.
Madison, Ga.-based Avado Brands named John Koch vice president of research and development and culinary operations for the company. Avado Brands owns and operates two proprietary restaurant concepts: Don Pablo’s Mexican Kitchen and Hops Restaurant and Brewery restaurants.
Jim Alimena has been named director of marketing at BlumbergExcelsior, a New York supplier of law-office products. Marketing research will be among his responsibilities.
Andrew L. Wing, president and CEO of Nielsen Entertainment, New York, has decided to leave VNU to pursue investment opportunities in media and entertainment. Wing will remain with VNU through March 31 to assist in the management transition.
Caryl Kahn has been named market research director at Insight Research Group USA, Summit, N.J.
Vance Publishing Corp., Lincolnshire, Ill., has named Steven U. Lee to the newly created position of senior vice president of marketing. Marketing research will be among his responsibilities.
Stuart Carlaw has been named principal analyst, wireless connectivity, at ABI Research, Oyster Bay, N.Y. He will be based in London.
Eric LaBat has been named chief marketing officer for the Chicago-based Rail Services unit of GE. Marketing research will be among his responsibilities.
Norway-based research software provider FIRM has realigned its market research global account teams to New York and London. Heading up the New York team will be Yaron Brenman, vice president of sales. He will add to his client roster the accounts of both North and South America previously managed by FIRM’s San Francisco team. Wale Omiyale, director of market research business development, will lead the team in London. He will add the accounts throughout Scandinavia previously managed by FIRM’s Oslo office.
Cook Research & Consulting, Inc., Minneapolis, has named Gayle Belkengren vice president.
Dallas researcher Parks Associates has promoted Stuart Sikes to president.
SPSS, Chicago, has named Mark Nelson vice president and general manager of its Dimensions product line.
Doane Marketing Research Inc., St. Louis, has named Chance Genovese and Bruce King senior sales and marketing manager.
London research firm Research Now has opened an office in Hamburg, Germany. To support the new office, Oliver Wölfel has joined Research Now as client development manager. Thomas Lapperger, business development director, and Sandra Bilz, client service manager, will also work out of the new office.
Invoke Solutions, a Wellesley, Mass., research firm, has named Alon Ravid chief technology officer.
Anderson Analytics, a Stamford, Conn., research firm, has named Jesse Chen senior consultant and developer.
Research firm MORPACE International, Inc. has promoted Sharna Morelli to senior vice president. She is based in the company’s corporate office in Farmington Hills, Mich. In addition, the firm named David Hurst and Donna Taglione research director.
Dresher, Pa.-based TVG Marketing Research and Consulting has appointed a new senior management team, naming Tim Edbrooke senior vice president, strategic account management and marketing; Karen Fender senior vice president, research excellence; and Karen LeSieur senior vice president, strategic marketing and development.
Five new employees have joined Cincinnati research firm MRSI: Pam McHugh as vice president, client services; Sharon Myers as account manager; Colleen Clark and Melissa Van Ryzin as senior research analyst; and Robert Enzweiler as research analyst. The new additions will be based in Cincinnati, with the exception of McHugh, who will work out of the company’s client service office in Chicago.
New York researcher BuzzMetrics has added Gary Stein to its client services department.
Stamford, Conn., research firm InsightExpress has named Brian Tarnok senior accountant, a new position within the company’s finance department.
Research firm Millward Brown has appointed Robert Vinet to head its French business. Vinet replaces outgoing French Managing Director Liz Musch, who leaves to join WPP sister company, Added Value.
GrayHair Software, a Mount Laurel, N.J., maker of mail industry products, has named Robert Tiedeken market research director.
IMS Health, a Fairfield, Conn., research firm, has named Gilles V.J. Pajot executive vice president and president, global business management. He will be based in Fairfield.
New York-based Ipsos Insight has named Arthur Eisenbach senior vice president and general manager of its financial services practice.
John Polich has joined the Princeton, N.J., office of Australia-based Roy Morgan International as senior vice president.