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MRII To Celebrate Its 10th Anniversary in June 2006

Issued: January 18, 2006
St. Louis, MO, USA - The Marketing Research Institute International (MRII) will celebrate its 10th anniversary in June 2006. MRII is a non-profit institute devoted to fulfilling the fundamental educational needs of people worldwide in the marketing research profession.

MRII HISTORY
In 1994, the Marketing Research Association (MRA) Board of Directors 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 Marketing Research Core Body of Knowledge (MRCBOK©) developed by William Neal of SDR Consulting, Inc. and Dr. Malcom McNiven of the University of Georgia (UGA). Approval was given and funds allocated in 1995 to establish the Marketing Research Association Institute (MRAI).

A Board of Directors of industry representatives was formed to oversee the development of the Principles of Marketing Research in conjunction with the University of Georgia. The Marketing Research Association Institute was incorporated in June 1996 and was granted non-profit status as an educational institute by the IRS. In 1998, the Marketing Research Association Institute, Marketing Research Association and the University of Georgia entered into an alliance with the European Society of Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR) for the purpose of marketing the Principles of Marketing Research course worldwide. In July, 1999, the organization formally changed its name to the Marketing Research Institute International (MRII). This was done to eliminate confusion about the Institute's affiliation with any other industry organization, build broad-based industry support and demonstrate the global nature of its programs.

MRII PURPOSE
The Marketing Research Institute International (MRII) was incorporated to:

a) Serve as a source of education.
b) Receive and administer funds for support of the marketing research industry in the development of marketing and opinion research training material.
c) Support the training of those interested in entering, or those currently engaged in, marketing and opinion research.
d) Work with those in the educational field in developing programs for the specific purposes of furthering educational opportunities of those in the marketing and opinion research business.

INDUSTRY ALLIANCES
While the MRA was the initial guiding force behind the development of the program and provided the initial funding, the American Marketing Association has officially supported the Principles of Marketing Research program since 1997. MRII, UGA and ESOMAR formed an educational alliance in 1998 to market the program globally. An official partnership agreement was adopted by these three organizations in March 1999. In November 1999, ARF officially endorsed the program. In 2002, the Professional Marketing Research Society in Canada (PMRS), now known as the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association (MRIA) and the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA) also officially supported the course. In 2003 and 2004, the Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA) and Pharmaceutical Business Intelligence & Research Group (PBIRG) endorsed the program respectively. A list of MRII's industry alliances is shown below:

• ARF-The Research Authority
• American Marketing Association (AMA)
• Coca-Cola Center for Marketing Studies at the University of Georgia, Masters of Marketing Research Program (MMR)
• Council of American Survey Research Organization (CASRO)
• ESOMAR-World Research
• Marketing Research Association (MRA)
• Marketing Research & Intelligence Association (MRIA)
• Pharmaceutical Business Intelligence & Research Group (PBIRG)
• Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA)

ADMINISTRATION
From its founding in 1996 until the end of 2001, the MRA's Executive Director also served as the part-time Executive Director of the MRII educational institute. In 2003, MRII established a separate office and hired a full-time Executive Director to oversee its operations. This was done in recognition of the growth of the Principles of Marketing Research course and the desire to make MRII an independent research body.

MRII is governed by a Board of Directors made up of representatives from all sectors of the marketing research industry and by permanent representatives of MRA and UGA.

PAST BOARD CHAIRS AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS
Period	President
1996-1997	Linda Tessar
1997-1998	Howard Gershowitz
1998-1999	Ron Kornokovich
1999-2000	Bill Neal
2000-2001	Don Marek
2001-2002	Joe Ottaviani
2002-2004	Al Paison
2004-2005	Terry Grapentine
2006	Susan Adelman
2007	John Kelly (UK)
2008	Julie Williams

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