Re:think 2009 Platinum Profiles
IRI is the world’s leading provider of consumer, shopper, and retail market information, insights and decision solutions to 95 percent of the FORTUNE Global 500 consumer packaged goods (CPG), healthcare and retail companies. Only IRI offers the unique combination of integrated market and shopper information, automated analytics and predictive insights, innovative technology, and domain expertise. With IRI, leading manufacturers and retailers are able to drive their growth by quickly discovering breakthrough insights, making smarter decisions, taking faster actions across the enterprise, and achieving breakthrough results. Companies around the world depend on IRI for technology and solutions that enable brand building, successful new product launches, consumer-driven merchandising/retail execution and consumer and shopper relationship management. For more information, visit http://us.infores.com.
Thom Blischok – President, Consulting and Innovation
As President, Consulting and Innovation for Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), Thom Blischok leads retail solutions, strategic consulting, and integrated solutions organizations on a global basis. A seasoned retail executive bringing more than 25 years of industry expertise to this role, Blischok is focused on generating even further growth for the retail and consulting practices at IRI.
Blischok is the former chairman and chief executive officer of MindMeld, Inc., an Arizona-based "transformation through technology" consulting group. MindMeld is recognized for its thought leadership in successfully applying large-scale relational database technology to a number of leading retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Kmart, 7-Eleven and others.
Prior to founding MindMeld, he was executive vice president and group executive of Equifax Knowledge Engineering, the global customer relationship management division of Equifax. He has also held senior-level positions at several of the world’s most successful companies, including global chairman of the retail and distribution practice at Coopers and Lybrand Consulting; vice president and chief business scientist of AT&T Global Information Solutions; vice president, industry consulting for Teradata; and vice president, global consulting with ATT/GIS.
A recognized futurist and retail thought leader, Blischok is known around the globe for his innovative thinking and strategies to help retailers fundamentally transform their go-to-market economic models using innovative approaches to understanding the consumer with new forms of marketplace information.
Blischok is frequently quoted in a wide range of business and industry publications, and speaks on a regular basis. Among the recent past presentations he has given include addresses at FMI Midwinter Conference, FMI Pharmacy Conference, FMI Retail Store Development Conference and the GMA Merchandising, Sales and Marketing Conference.
Blischok holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix. He has been frequently published and speaks around the world on the future of retailing.
The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, mobile measurement, trade shows and business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com.
Susan D. Whiting – Vice Chair, The Nielsen Company
Susan Whiting is Vice Chair of The Nielsen Company. She shares oversight of the Company with Chairman and CEO David Calhoun in the Office of the CEO, and focuses on client relations.
Susan serves as a member of The Nielsen Company’s Executive Council and is a member of the Board of Directors for Wilmington Trust Corporation, the Ad Council, the Center for Communication and the YMCA of Greater New York. She was recognized in 2007 by Crain’s New York Business as one of its 100 Most Influential Women in New York City business and by The Wall Street Journal in their “Women to Watch” series.
Susan Whiting graduated from Denison University with a BA, cum laude, in Economics, and currently serves as a trustee of the University.