Paula Coletta has joined Marketing Research Services Inc. (MRSI), Cincinnati, as senior research analyst.

St. Louis-based Maritz Research has named C. Richard “Dick” Pace director of its Financial Services Research Consulting Group. He will be based in both Greenwich, Conn., and Maritz’ New York City office.

Omaha research firm The MSR Group has named Dan Gordon director of research development.

Duane Clement, Joe Ferris III and R. Bruce Westcott have been named to the leadership team of the new Cincinnati-area consumer insights division of New York research firm Schulman, Ronca, & Bucuvalas, Inc.

Pam Bruns has been named vice president, client services at the new Chicago office of Canadian data collection firm Opinion Search, Inc.

Lori M. Blank has joined Polaris Marketing Research, Inc., Atlanta, as an account director. The firm also named Susan Hood Garcia project manager.

The NPD Group , Port Washington, N.Y., has named Ross Rubin director of industry analysis for NPD Techworld, the company’s technology tracking division.

R. L. Polk & Co., Southfield, Mich., has named Kevin McCann to senior vice president, Asia-Pacific. He will be based in Beijing . At the firm’s Long Beach, Calif., office, Patricia Gaulin has been named vice president, Toyota OEM team.

New York-based TNS Media Intelligence/CMR has named Lori B. Madeloff senior vice president, product and custom services.

SRA Research Group, Inc ., Jupiter, Fla., has named Matthew Banaszynski research analyst.

London-based Synovate has named Tim Bowles CEO for Western Europe . Nicos Rossides has been named head of Synovate Solutions. He will also retain responsibility for Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA). Michael Spedding has been named CEO of Synovate Healthcare. Synovate Healthcare has announced other management appointments effective April 1. Changes in the management structure draw from Isis Research, which was acquired by Synovate in September last year, and Synovate’s existing health care practice. Isis will rebrand as Synovate Healthcare in October. Marc Yates has been named regional director Synovate Healthcare Asia Pacific. Yates will continue to be based in Singapore . Stuart Bartlett has been appointed director Synovate Healthcare Asia Pacific. He is currently based in Singapore . Robert Skolnick has been named executive vice president Synovate Healthcare U.S. Custom. Skolnick will continue in his existing role as executive vice president of Synovate Americas and be based in Tarrytown, N.Y. Synovate has also named Jerry Brandt head of its new media and entertainment research unit for the Americas. Brandt is based in the Synovate Los Angeles office.

NetRatings, Inc., New York, has named Kenneth Cassar director of strategic analysis.

Performance Assessment Network, Inc., Carmel, Ind., has named Marc Drizin director of surveys and workforce research.

Kjell de Orr has been named global head of strategic accounts and client development in Germany-based GfK’s ad hoc research division. He will work from his office at the Martin Hamblin GfK premises in London .

Research International has named Phillip Cartwright global senior director, Marketing Science Centre. He will share his role between Research International in France and the Group Marketing Science Centre in London . Ivan Ventura, CEO of Research International in Italy , has been named global managing director of Research International Qualitatif, succeeding Malcolm Baker. Greet Sterenberg has been named global director, Research International Qualitatif.

Scott D. Upham has been named senior vice president of Rochester, N.Y.-based Harris Interactive’s automotive and transportation research group.

Canton, Mass.-based Tweeter Home Entertainment Group has named Jim Bengier vice president/supply chain. Marketing research will be among his new responsibilities.

Jeff Kerr has joined Guideline Chicago as vice president.

Herb Sorensen, president of Sorensen Associates , a Portland, Ore., research firm, has been named as one of Fast Company magazine’s Fast 50 innovators - individuals whose “achievements have significantly advanced their companies or industries.” Sorensen invented a shopper tracking technology that is designed to help retailers and manufacturers tailor store formats and merchandising programs to the greatest areas of shopper activity.

Willie Doyle has been named vice president of applications development at Indianapolis-based Walker Information.

Tim Ryan has joined MarketVision Research , Cincinnati, as vice president.

Andrew Fenning has joined Cincinnati-based AcuPOLL as its new president of European operations.