Michael J. Ludy has joined MarketVision Research, Inc., Cincinnati, as vice president, client service.
Robert King has been named vice president of sales, at Valley Forge Information Service, a unit of ICT Research Services, Langhorne, Pa. Helen-Marie Troy has been named vice president of project management at VFIS. In addition, VFIS has named Mary Ellen Fasano vice president of operations.
Tracy Snicker has joined C.J. Olson Market Research, Inc., Minneapolis, as data collection supervisor.
Thomas Leidy has joined CB&A Market Research, Winston-Salem, N.C., as vice president of custom research and client services.
Rebecca Edwards Vahlkamp has joined Aragon Consulting Group, St. Louis, as a research coordinator. Amy L. Sunder has also joined the firm as a research analyst.
Merle Holman, president of Group Dynamics in Focus, Inc., and The VideoConferencing Center of Philadelphia, was presented with the Sam Walton Business Leadership Award by the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. The award honors the local businessperson who best exemplifies a commitment to customer service, respect for employees and concern for the community.
Directions for Decisions, Jersey City, N.J., has added John Almash to its staff as a principal. He will be an executive vice president.
Howard Furmansky has joined Leferman Associates, Stamford, Conn., as a vice president and director of qualitative services.
Elrick and Lavidge, an Atlanta research firm, has promoted two staff members: Diane Reeve to senior project manager and Jo-Anne Goodchild to senior moderator.  Jack Brantley, Jr., founder of InterServ, Elrick and Lavidge’s parent company, and vice president of InterServ’s Cellular/Wireless Marketing Services Division, has joined the Elrick and Lavidge sales team.
Audits & Surveys Worldwide, New York, has tapped Michael Fallig and Edward Cohen to head its new Technology Survey Group. Matt Knain has joined Decision Insight, a Kansas City, Mo., research firm, as vice president.
Information Resources, Inc., Chicago, has announced that George Garrick, president and CEO of its IRI-North America unit, has resigned to form a new company, Digital Marketing L.L.C., which will provide marketing services for organizations conducting business over the Internet. IRI will take a minority interest in the firm.
American Airlines Magazine Publications has named Eric Czechowski marketing research analyst for the American Way inflight magazine and Southwest Spirit, Southwest Airlines’ inflight magazine.
Pat Hughes has joined Custom Research Inc., Minneapolis, as vice president. In addition, Aldy Keene has joined the firm as senior vice president.
Scott Ludwigsen has joined Maritz Marketing Research, St. Louis, as New York division manager for the company’s Performance Measurement Group. Linda Birch has joined Maritz’s Southfield, Mich., office as an account manager to Ford in the Maritz Automotive Research Group. Greg Lukeman has been promoted to manager, qualitative research in Maritz’s St. Louis office.
ICR Survey Research Group, Media, Pa., has added Sharon Dion to its staff as vice president.
Jack Fentress has joined Winona Research, Minneapolis, as a senior account executive.
Conway/Milliken & Associates has promoted Kathy Nicolini to vice president, creative services group and Sue Larrison to vice president, qualitative services group.
MATRIXX Marketing, Inc., Cincinnati, a subsidiary of Cincinnati Bell Inc., has promoted Curt Stoll to senior vice president and general manager of the business division.