2026 Hall of Fame Awards Luncheon
Announcement: New York, NY, March 11th, 2026 – The Market Research Council (MRC), the nation’s leading organization devoted to promoting the field of marketing research, today announced the 2026 Market Research Council Hall of Fame inductees.
John Gilfeather, Lisa Courtade, will be inducted at 49th annual MRC ceremony recognizing outstanding market research and insights professionals.
Additionally, Jim Whaley will receive the MRC’s Research Ambassador Award, and John Bremer will receive the MRC’s Research Innovator Award.
The 2026 MRC Hall Of Fame luncheon Awards ceremony will take place in New York City at Arno Ristorante in midtown on July 31st, 2026, from 12PM – 2PM. For tickets, tables, or more information, please visit the Events page.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Jim Whaley, CEO of OvationMR, will receive the Research Ambassador award.
Jim Whaley is the CEO of OvationMR and has devoted his career to advancing the research profession. As a second-generation market researcher, Jim launched his professional journey at IBM and since then accumulated over 30 years of experience building companies, developing innovative technology solutions, and guiding clients in solving complex business challenges through enhanced insights.
Throughout his career, Jim has successfully built and sold two research firms and multiple technology companies. He is also recognized for mentoring emerging leaders and actively supporting the broader research community.
In addition to leading OvationMR, Jim serves in several industry and nonprofit leadership positions. His roles include President of the Market Research Institute International, Trustee of the Archive of Social and Market Research, Board Director at Significant Insights, Insight Career Network, and Market Research Education Foundation, as well as being a Member of the Forbes Business Council.
Jim strongly believes in giving back to the insights community by supporting initiatives that foster education for career development and improved insights efficacy. He is dedicated to preserving the valuable contributions of research practitioners who have influenced and shaped businesses, governments, and society. Jim also actively contributes to local and global charities focused on educating and feeding children in the most critically impacted areas worldwide.
John Bremer, President & Founder, Signals & Standards, will receive the Research Innovator award.
John Bremer, PhD, is a pioneering leader in market research and data science, recently nominated by the Market Research Council as the 2026 Hall of Fame Research Innovator of the Year for his impact on research methodology, data quality, and analytics‑driven decision making. He currently serves as President & Founder, Signals & Standards, and was formerly Chief Product and Research Officer at Tenetic and President and Founder of Phantom 4 Solutions, applying his expertise in sampling, weighting, data fusion, and advanced analytics to help organizations turn complex data into clear, actionable insight.
Over more than two decades, John has held senior roles including Global Chief Research Officer at Circana and The NPD Group and Chief Strategy Officer at Toluna, where he drove major advances in online survey science, non‑probability sampling, rare population measurement, and the development of patented sample selection and correction approaches such as SmarSelect and SmartCorrect. His methodological innovations have underpinned successful, high‑stakes applications—from large‑scale commercial measurement programs to election forecasting in the US and UK, including being recognized as a top pollster in multiple election cycles—and he shares this expertise as an adjunct faculty member at the Harris School of Public Policy at the University of Chicago, helping train the next generation of applied researchers.