Press Releases

New Researchers Join GfK Strategic Marketing's Growing Team

Pharmaceutical marketing research firm expands executive team and hires senior consultants

Bala Cynwyd, PA – June 13, 2006 – GfK Strategic Marketing, a leading provider of custom healthcare marketing research, recently named Doug Willson, Ph.D. as Senior Vice President of Marketing Science, Jodi Lindsey as Senior Vice President and Mary Loveland as Vice President of Business Development. Also joining the firm are Portia Gordon, Ph.D. and Donna DiStefano as Senior Consultants.

Doug, Jodi and Mary are experienced leaders and make great additions to our executive team, said GfK Strategic Marketing President Marty Glogowski. Their skills, along with those of Portia and Donna, greatly enhance our quantitative and qualitative capabilities as well as the level of service we can provide clients.

A skilled methodologist, Douglas Willson brings nearly 15 years of analytical consulting and product development experience which will further strengthen GfK Strategic Marketing's quantitative practice. Prior to joining the firm, Willson served as Vice President at National Analysts Inc., where he advised clients on methodological issues and developed new research products. Willson has published a number of reports and articles and is a frequent conference presenter. He holds a master's degree in Economics from the University of Toronto and a doctorate in Economics with concentrations in Econometrics and Finance from the University of Pennsylvania.

Jodi Lindsey has nearly 20 years of marketing research experience, with more than half dedicated to the healthcare and pharmaceutical fields. She comes to GfK Strategic Marketing from the firm of Johnston, Zabor, McManus, Inc. where she managed and trained analytical staff and oversaw research projects for many of the largest pharmaceutical companies as Vice President. She holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from Rollins College.

In the newly created business development role, Mary Loveland is focusing on opportunity development and client service activities for GfK Strategic Marketing. She has 24 years of experience in healthcare marketing research, most recently providing clients with account management and consultative services for both qualitative and quantitative projects. Loveland holds a bachelor's degree in Commerce and Finance from Wilkes University.

Portia Gordon brings eight years of marketing research experience to GfK Strategic Marketing. She was formerly a Study Director with Market Strategies, Inc., responsible for overseeing domestic and international qualitative research. She holds both a doctorate and a master's degree in Molecular Pharmacology from Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Donna DiStefano comes to GfK Strategic Marketing from IMS Health Consulting where she was a Principal. She has nearly 10 years of experience in pharmaceutical marketing research and has worked closely with clients from several of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies. She holds a master's degree in Public Health from the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New Jersey.

About GfK Strategic Marketing

For more than 25 years, GfK Strategic Marketing has been designing customized marketing research studies and methodologies to help pharmaceutical clients reduce their decision-making risk and make smart commercial decisions about their products and business. With a full range of quantitative and qualitative services, as well as worldwide research capabilities, GfK Strategic Marketing develops innovative strategies to resolve clients' most challenging marketing research issues. GfK Strategic Marketing, along with GfK Market Measures and GfK V2, is a member of the GfK U.S Healthcare Companies - the largest custom healthcare marketing research provider in the United States.