2026 Luncheon & Awards Ceremony

The 2026 MRC Hall Of Fame luncheon Awards ceremony will take place in New York City at Arno Ristorante in midtown on July 31, 2026, from 12 noon–2:00PM. Please join us!

We will induct Lisa Courtade (Active Practitioner Award) and John Gilfeather (Lifetime Achievement Award) into the MRC Hall of Fame.

Last year’s event was sold out! To reserve your seat, or an entire table, please click here.

The Active Practitioner category recognizes professionals whose day-to-day leadership advances the quality and ethics of research practice. These nominees demonstrate excellence in applying research to real-world business and societal challenges.

The Lifetime Achievement category honors those whose have left an indelible mark on the field. Their decades of contributions span leadership, mentorship, scholarship, and applied insight. These nominees have inspired generations of researchers and continue to be cornerstones of our professional community.

Active Practitioner Award

Lisa Courtade, Associate Vice President, Global Business Insights & Analytics, Organon, will be inducted in the Active Practitioner Category.

Lisa has held leadership roles at major pharmaceutical companies including Merck, Sanofi-Aventis, and Pharmacia/Pfizer, working across diverse geographies and disciplines. Earlier in her career, she gained broad cross-industry experience as a graphic designer, communications lead, researcher, and statistician in sectors ranging from municipal government to electronics, chemicals, printing, and sports management.

Beyond her corporate roles, Lisa is deeply engaged in advancing the insights profession. She is Past Chair and current Board Director of Marketing Research Institute International, a Laureate and Past Chair of the Insights Association, and a board member of the University of Georgia’s Master of Marketing Research program. A long-time leader within the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association, she has played a pivotal role in landmark research initiatives advancing women’s leadership globally.

Lifetime Achievement Award

John Gilfeather, President of John Gilfeather & Associates will be inducted in the Lifetime Achievement category.

A leader in public affairs, reputation and thought leadership, he was with Yankelovich for more than 30 years, where he helped shape the field of social trends research and consumer insights from 1969 to 1999. Following his time at Yankelovich, he served as Vice Chairman of Roper Public Affairs for seven years (1999-2006). He later held the position of Executive Vice President at TNS (2007-2009), a global research powerhouse, where he brought his deep expertise to bear on international research challenges. He has also served as EVP for Logica Research.

To view last year’s awards event photos, click here. To see last year’s award presenters, click here!