Our History

 

MRII has had a long and distinguished history, which dates back to 1994 when the Board of Directors of the Marketing Research Association (MRA), a predecessor of today’s Insights Association, appointed a task force to determine the feasibility of creating a separate non-profit organization to create educational and training materials for the marketing and opinion research industry.

 
This was fueled by a desire to create an independent study program based on the Market Research Core Body of Knowledge (MRCBOK™). Approval was given and funds allocated in 1995 to establish the Marketing Research Association Institute (MRAI).
In 1996, the MRAI was incorporated as a nonprofit educational institute, with the following mission:


To offer global, market-leading continuing education programs for the understanding, practice, or consumption of market research, insights, and data science.


The organization’s first order of business was to develop the Principles of Marketing Research (PoMR), a self-study program to be offered in partnership with the University of Georgia. The purpose of PoMR was to provide a common base of knowledge for current and aspiring market research professionals featuring the concepts of the MRCBOK.

 
In 1998, we partnered with ESOMAR to market the PoMR course globally. To emphasize our global reach and independence, the organization was renamed the Marketing Research Institute International (MRII) in 1999.


PoMR is to this day offered in partnership with the University of Georgia’s Center for Continuing Education. The PoMR curriculum is continuously updated and new courses are added to keep up with the evolving needs of the market research industry. One of the evolving needs led to the 2018 introduction of Principles Express, a line of on-demand courses designed to meet the learning needs of people who wish to focus on a single or small handful of courses rather than participate in a comprehensive curriculum.


More than 10,000 learners from 114 countries have benefitted from the PoMR and Principles Express courses.


As learning styles have evolved so has MRII, expanding our reach to offer educational and learning resources in a variety of formats. Valuable content and programs include not only the original courses, but also a highly popular webinar series, award programs, short-form video content, podcasts, a blog, and more.

Past Leaders

2021: Stephanie C. Harris  

2020: Michael Mermelstein, Nichols Research

2019: Dan Coates, Ypulse, Inc.

2018: Jeffrey Henning, Researchscape International

2017: Jon Last, Sports & Leisure Research Group

2016: Lisa Courtade,  Merck & Co 

2015: Wayne McCullough, University of Michigan 

2014: Barry Watson, Environics 

2013: Charlotte E. Sibley, Sibley Associates 

2012: John Lewington, Ph.D., Maryville University, Retired 

2011: Charles “Chuck” Dodson, WILD Flavors, Inc., Retired

2010: Pat Crane, Eastman Kodak Company, Retired  

2009: David Ashley, Department of Homeland Security

2008: Julie Williams, MaritzCXRetired 

2007: John Kelly, Ceallaigh AssociatesRetired 

2006: Susan Adelman, Survey Service, Inc. 

2005: Terry Grapentine, Grapentine Co., LLC 

2002-2004: Al Paison, The Customer Loyalty Research Center, Retired  

2001: Joe Ottavani, Bellomy Research 

2000: Don Marek, AT&T, Retired
1999: Bill Neal, SDR, Inc., Retired 

1998: Ron Kornokovich, OPINIONation, Retired
1997: Howard Gershowitz, Mktg., Inc. (USA) 

1996: Linda Tessar, Walker Research, Retired 

2001-2004: Mike Naples

2004-2005: Terry Grapentine

2005-2014: Don Marek

2014-2018: Reg Baker, Ph.D.

2019-2021: Jeffrey Henning  

2021 -2022: Stephen Kraus, Ph.D.

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