G. Erica Phillips has been named senior account manager in Simmons Market Research Bureau Inc.'s recently opened Western Region office in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Ellen R. Weinstein has been named vice president/sales manager in the company's New York headquarters. She will be responsible for sales of Simmons' syndicated research studies to advertisers, advertising agencies and electronic media.
Frank P. Bossu has assumed a newly created position, vice president-new product consulting services, at Elrick & Lavidge, a subsidiary of Equifax Inc., Atlanta. Bossu's responsibilities include helping clients bring the consumer insight element to new product development and increasing the marketplace success of their new product programs.
Three executive promotions have been made at Maritz Marketing Research Inc., St. Louis. Ronald P. Lipovsky has been installed as president of the company, succeeding Bill Lewellen, who has retired.
Lipovsky also serves as a corporate vice president of parent firm Maritz Inc. Michael D. Phillips has been named executive vice president. He is also a corporate vice president of the parent company. William "Tim" Rogers has succeeded Lipovsky as vice president of the automotive research group. He was named a Maritz corporate vice president in April.
Nancy Peiffer has been added to the staff of Northwest Research Group Inc., Bellevue, Wash. She will assist the firm's project managers in various aspects of questionnaire design, programming and interviewer/project supervision.
Curtis Gates has been named director of the mall, field and focus group facilities for Consumer Pulse of Charlotte, N.C.
Adam S. Weinstein has joined Woelfel Research Inc., Vienna, Va., as field director. Weinstein is responsible for directing, selecting, training and monitoring all field studies for the company. He will also evaluate mall and other field facilities, and direct all focus group, local intercept and central location testing operations. In addition, Weinstein will be responsible for new business development for WRI's local field services.
Steve Walker has been appointed president and CEO of Indianapolis-based DataSource, a subsidiary of Walker Group, also in Indianapolis. Walker also serves as president and CEO of Walker Direct, a telephone and database marketing services subsidiary of Walker Group. Meanwhile, Phillip A. Bounsall has been named vice president and chief financial officer at Walker Group. Bounsall will be responsible for the company's financial operations and the development and implementation of financial strategies for the entities comprising the company. He will also develop and maintain financial operations for Walker Group companies that operate in the United States and abroad.
Patricia Belczynski has been named assistant research director at Cramer-Krasselt, a Milwaukee-based marketing communications firm. She will work on a number of the company's accounts.
Julia Kagan is the new senior vice president of EDK Associates, a New York research company. She has in the past served as editor of Psychology Today, Working Woman and McCall's. For EDK, Kagan will design and analyze public opinion research on a variety of issues, including public policy and women's and family issues. She will also edit the firm's executive newsletter, EDK Forecast, which tracks women consumers' attitudes, values and lifestyles.
Stephen R. Polk, president of R.L. Polk & Co., Detroit, has added the chief executive officer's duties to his job description. John M. O'Hara, CEO for the last eight years, will continue as chairman of the company until his retirement in August.
David Jacobson has been promoted to vice president/research director of Creamer Dickson Basford lnc., a New York public relations concern. At the same time, Ed Stevens has joined the agency and will serve as its director of business development research and associate research director. Jacobson will be responsible for helping plan and conduct marketing and opinion research as well as ensuring the quality and quantity of the company's research work. He also will continue to direct studies for CDB clients and outside corporations. Stevens' primary responsibility will be providing research support for the agency' s business-development efforts.
Daniel P. Brosnan is the new president of Kirk Tyson International, a Chicago-based business intelligence firm. Brosnan comes to Tyson from Applied Learning International Inc., where he was vice president of both consulting services and marketing.