About Us

Our Team: Seasoned Professionals.  Our Promise: Actionable Insight

  • Actionable research and strategy to Fortune 500 consumer and service companies in accelerating topline growth, building customer loyalty and increasing marketing productivity
  • Strategic counsel to investors and developers looking to maximize returns in the Retail and other Consumer service sectors
 

Our People: Client-side experience. Cutting edge expertise.

Craig Johnson, President

  • Partner, MCA/Interpublic (IPG)
  • Partner and Director of e-Commerce, Peppers & Rogers/Carlson Marketing 
  • CEO, Celutel, Inc. (CLTL)
  • SVP-Marketing, PSI Energy (PIN/DUK)
  • Technology Management Group, Booz Allen Hamilton
  • VP-Marketing, Video/game retailer
  • Operations group, Apparel retailer 
  • Former Tokyo resident and Chair-Japan America Society of Indiana
  • Expert witness on consumer/pricing in 10 states
  • Chairman, Roulston Retail Roundtable 
  • Guest columnist, Barrons's 
  • Guest columnist, Chain Store Age 
  • Board-Alzheimers Association (CT)
  • MBA Stanford, BA Yale

 

Parke Johnson

  • Director-Thought Leadership and Thematic Marketing Programs, Legg Mason
  • Director-Product Marketing, Legg Mason 
  • Director-Product Marketing, Citigroup Asset Management and Smith Barney
  • VP-Smith Barney Corporate Finance
  • BS Skidmore College

Bob Ference

  • President, Strategic Insights & Solutions 
  • President, Information Resources, Marketing Corp. of American/Interpublic
  • Partner and Managing Director, Brand Equity Practice-Marketing Corp. of America
  • Director-Strategic Planning, Heublein
  • Prior experience:  Pepperidge Farm, Kraft

 

Jeffrey Meyers

  • VP-Mass Markets, NiSource (NI)
  • President, Columbia Energy Partners
  • MBA Widener, BS/ME Univ. of Cincinnati

 

Jack Smyth

  • VP-Product Management, CompuCom 
  • Dir-Planning, HP Customer Svc (HPQ)
  • Dir-Tech Support Call Center, Compaq
  • CEO, The Learning Company
  • MBA Stanford, BS/IE Cornell

 

Paul Weinberger

  • Partner, Technology Management Group
  • Energy Practice, Booz Allen Hamilton
  • Senior Energy Analyst, UTC (UTX)
  • Senior Engineer, Burns & Roe
  • R&D Group, Combustion Engineering
  • ME Cornell, BS/ME, Cooper Union

 

Our Insights....In the Media

  • Mid-Year Retail Outlook:  Bloomberg TV July 8, 2010

  http://www.bloomberg.com/video/61367404/

  • 2010 Retail Rebound:  Chain Store Age Mar 4, 2010

   http://www.chainstoreage.com/GuestCommentaries_Archive.aspx?id=132531

  • Dow-Jones Interview:  Wall Street Journal Mar 3, 2010

   http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-20100303-711695.html

  • Walgreen:  Wall Street Journal Feb 18, 2010

  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703444804575071054122423216.html?  keywords="wag+duane+reade"

  • Retail Earnings:  Bloomberg Radio Feb 16, 2010

   http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=conewsstory&tkr=WMT:US&sid=ax5a2DcC_Wso

  • Holiday 2009 Recap:  Chain Store Age Jan 5, 2010

   http://www.chainstoreage.com/GuestCommentaries_Archive.aspx?id=127201

  • Home Depot/Lowe's:  Barron's Dec 21, 2009

   "Review and Preview" article p. 19