Susan Taylor, founder of Taylor Research in San Diego, died on May 12 after being diagnosed with leukemia in January. From its beginnings in 1956, Taylor grew her company into an organization of up to 100 part-time employees and a full-time staff of 12. “Susan was one of those few kind souls that some of us are fortunate enough to meet in our lifetimes. She was a pioneer of woman-owned businesses in San Diego,” says Michael Casinelli, president of Marketing Information Masters. Throughout her career Taylor received a number of awards, including the 1987-1988 Market Research Association Outstanding Service Award; the 1998 Market Research Association President’s Award; and in 2001 the award for Small Business Administration Women-Owned Business of the Year. She was also active with San Diego’s Rachel’s Women’s Center, a Catholic Charities-operated facility that provides services and accommodations for homeless women.
Gaku Sasaki has joined Synovate Healthcare in Japan as general manager, custom research services division.
The Seattle Sonics & Storm has promoted Ben Wil son to director of marketing research.
The board of directors of Harris Interactive, Rochester, N.Y., and Robert E. Knapp have mutually agreed to Knapp’s resignation as chairman and CEO of the company. Concurrently, the board appointed President Gregory T. Novak as acting CEO, and appointed Independent Director George B ell as chairman of the board.
Walker Information, Indianapolis, has hired four new employees: Marla Mast as analyst; Shellie Miller as project director; Lori Paul as accounting specialist; and Andy Smith as LAN system administrator. In addition, Krista Roseberry has been promoted to consultant.
FocusVision Worldwide, Stamford, Conn., has named Dan Foreman managing director of its new European office. At the Stamford office, Bree Heffner has been named controller, Robert Edwards and Aaron Bonner have been named video streaming project monitors, and Lauro Luo has been named software/Web developer.
Geoffrey Broderick has joined J.D. Power and Associates , Westlake Village, Calif., as vice president, planning and development.
Atlanta mystery shopping firm Shop’n Chek Worldwide has named Janet M. G. Acke rman to its executive management team as director of international.
Voxco Corporation U.S.A., New York, has added Dean Wilson and Stephen My ers to its staff.
With the retirement of Steven Wilson as president and CEO of VNU Advisory Services , VNU has named Joseph Willke as his successor.
InsightExpress, Stamford, Conn., has named Fern Schapiro executive vice president of client service and marketing.
Lyra Research, Newtonville, Mass., has named Peter Mayhew senior European analyst.
Joe Hamner has been named vice president, sales, at ABI Research , Oyster Bay, N.Y.
Robert Sapinkopf has been named senior director, customer and market knowledge, at US Foodservice , Columbia, Md.
Orem, Utah, data collection firm PGM, Inc. has named Marv Call client development representative.
Market Probe, Milwaukee, has named Sharon Pappas director of research-EES division.
Jade Cusick has been promoted to senior vice president, client service group director at New York-based research firm Ziment. In addition, Andrea Alfonsi has been promoted to vice president, senior director of client service.
At the Naperville, Ill., office of Millward Brown, Eileen Campbell has been promoted to the newly created position of president, global development. Campbell took up her new role on June 1st and also became chairman of Millward Brown North America. Taking over the management of Millward Brown’s North American business is Mary Ann Packo, who moves from her role as president of Millward Brown USA to become CEO of Millward Brown North America. Packo will also devote time to the global business insight group and has joined the Millward Brown management board. She will continue to be based in Millward Brown’s New York City office. Also promoted to the Millward Brown management board was Fabian Hernandez. Hernandez has joined the global business insight group and is based in Millward Brown’s Mexico City office. In addition, Charles Foster has been promoted to managing director, Millward Brown South Africa, and Elaine Holland has been named senior vice president, global human resources, and a member of Millward Brown’s main board. She will be based in the Naperville office. And Ari Popper has been promoted to vice president at the Fairfield, Conn., office.
Arbitron Inc., New York, has announced the retirement of Bill Walsh , executive vice president, finance and planning, and chief financial officer. Walsh has agreed to stay on until a new CFO is in place.
Rodney A. Carver has joined Decision Analyst , Arlington, Texas, as director of the company’s newly created database analytic services group.
MSNBC.com, Redmond, Wash., has added Catherine Captain to its leadership team. She will drive all marketing functions within the company including advertising, public relations, consumer research and user experience.
Sarita Smith has been promoted to senior vice president, research and planning for Discovery Networks U.S.
Reed Business Information, New York, has named Paul Koenigsberg vice president of corporate research.
New York-based Russell Research has named Eric Hunter director of qualitative services to establish a qualitative market research practice within the firm.
Marketing Research Services Inc., Cincinnati, has added Adesoye Farinu as a research analyst.
Fairfield, Conn., research firm Product Ventures has named Michael Carlon director of consumer and market insights.
Portland, Ore., research firm Sorensen Associates has opened an East Coast office and announced eight new hires. Armeen Gould will head the new Pennsylvania office. The Minnesota office has added Ralph Hanson and Jackie Churchill as senior project director. Rebecca Taibl has been named office manager and project director. In the Oregon office, Razvan Mihailescu has been named data and analysis manager. His team of data analysts includes new hires Adolfo Mollinedo, Brian Remington and Dave Albers. The firm has also announced two promotions in the Minnesota office: Ernie Melsby to vice president, client services, and Kathy Bieker to senior project director.
Heather Pomeroy has been named director of business development at Datascension , a Brea, Calif., research firm.
Margaret Henderson Blair, president of rsc the quality measurement company (the ARS Group), has been named AMS Distinguished Practitioner of the Year by the Academy of Marketing Science. The Academy is an association of 1,500 members that sponsors a world marketing congress and four additional conferences each year. With this award, the AMS honors a marketer who has demonstrated accomplishments through both actions and statements and who has acted with integrity and high ethical standards.
Emmons Patzer has been named vice president, sales and marketing, at Insight Marketing Systems , Melbourne, Australia, and will head the firm’s new U.S. office.
Beth Rounds has joined MarketTools, Inc., Mill Valley, Calif., as senior vice president of business development.
AllPoints Research, Inc., Winston-Salem, N.C., has hired Andrew Stern as market research strategist and named Everette Dwight programmer.
Randy Emond has been appointed president of the North American advertising and brand performance practice area of TNS , New York.
Carolina Echeverria has joined New American Dimensions , a Los Angeles research firm, as principal and chief strategic officer.
Mindwave Research, Austin, Texas, has added Debbie Bosch as director of customer satisfaction research and consulting.
G & S Research, Carmel, Ind., has hired Jay Bigler as business consultant. It has also promoted Julie Ulloa to business consultant and Jill Wangler to director, opportunities management.
M/A/R/C Research, Irving, Texas, has named Tony Amador vice president, client development, and Tia Ristaino-Siegel director, client development.