Day I: Monday, May 16, 2011

12:15 p.m. - Registration Opens

12:15 p.m. - Lunch

1:15 p.m. - Opening Remarks

• Diane K. Bowers, President, CASRO
• Rahul Sahgal, President & CEO, Annik
  Technology Services, Conference Co-Chair

1:30 p.m. Keynote Address: Making Better Decisions
Decision-making is fundamentally biased due to the way the mind works. This session focuses on some of the most common decision traps, and provides tools to defend against such traps and ways to use this knowledge strategically to improve future outcomes.

• Boaz Keysar, Professor of Psychology, University of Chicago; Chair, Cognition Group

2:30 p.m. Ingraining a Culture of Innovation At Your Research Company
True innovation is a powerful and coveted force in business. It can come from any place at any time, but is likely to appear with greater frequency in a fertile, supportive environment. How do you go about establishing a corporate culture that encourages creative thought? What investments are required? How do you monitor the ROI?

• Karyn Schoenbart, President & COO, The NPD Group, Inc.

3:05 p.m. - Break

3:25 p.m. Winning with Information: How a Data-Driven CMO Can Empower Today's CEO
With the recent economic tumult, the pressure is immense on Chief Research Officers and Chief Marketing Officers to make better, faster decisions. Research and data analytics have become key tools for CROs and CMOs to empower CEOs and the rest of the C-Suite and enable them to place major bets in a time when budgets are tighter than ever. We'll hear a CMO who grew up in the marketing sciences discipline describe key insights into how to translate complex data into meaningful decision-making moments of truth for the most senior executives. He'll also provide insight into how research firms can have a greater impact by advancing their advocate's causes.

• Chris X. Moloney, Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President, Wells Fargo Advisors

4:00 p.m. The Futures of Market Research
An analysis of the societal, technological, economic and political forces shaping the industry presents a range of future scenarios worth exploring. Some of these possible paths will be familiar; others will be unusual and challenging. Attendees will be asked to rate each future on likelihood and preference to continue the dialogue and expand our thinking.

• Robert Moran, President, StrategyOne

4:35 p.m. Strategy & Tactics for Company Leaders
For most companies today, business seems to be looking up. It is time to turn strategies into action to take maximum advantage of this scenario. What tactical adjustments can be made to ride the wave effectively? Even in a more buoyant market there are challenges to overcome. CEOs discuss these and other matters related to the adjustment and execution of strategies.

• Rahul Sahgal, session moderator
• David Haynes, CEO, Opinionology
• T.R. Rao, President & CEO, Market Probe, Inc.
• David Shanker, President, IPSOS Observer

5:45 p.m. Adjournment - Day I

5:45 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Cocktail Reception

Day II: Tuesday, May 17, 2011

8:00 a.m. - Breakfast

8:45 a.m. - Opening Remarks Day II

• Tyler McMullen, President, MarketVision Research; Conference Co-Chair

9:00 a.m. The Next Wave of Entrepreneurs - Technology + Research
With groundbreaking technology at the core of their offerings and business models, innovative firms are turning heads and grabbing market share in the research space. Listen to entrepreneurs share their stories as pioneers in their respective areas of expertise; how they got started, the challenges they've faced along the way and where they see their companies in the years ahead.

• Beth Rounds, Partner, Cambiar, L.L.C.; session moderator
• Candace Adams, President of Global Retail Strategy, SmartRevenue
• Steve August, CEO, Revelation
• Andrew Reid, President & Founder, Vision Critical

10:00 a.m. Talent Management: Finding a Match and Keeping the Fit
Cutbacks caused hand-wringing and sleepless nights for many HR professionals during the economic crisis. Now the task shifts to locating new talent, enabling new hires to succeed, and supporting employee development and retention.

• Tyler McMullen, session moderator
• Brian Dunn, Director, J.D. Power & Associates
• Camille Nicita, Principal & Chief Operating Officer, Gongos Research, Inc.
• Marc Rentzer, Vice President, Recruitment, TNS

11:00 a.m. - Break

11:15 a.m. Certification: Strategic Decision, Tactical Execution
At an increasing rate, market research companies have embarked on the path to certification (ISO9001, 20252, 26362, and SAS 70) as they seek to improve procedural efficiency and provide more consistent products and services. Certification to independent, third-party standards also may hold value as a business credential. Is the ROI worth the effort involved in preparing for an audit and implementing required systems? Hear from companies that have gone through the process.

• Reg Baker, President & COO, Market Strategies International; session moderator
• Cathy Becker, Director, Research Services, Maritz Research Inc.
• Owen Jenkins, CEO, North America, Kadence International Inc.
• Craig Overpeck, COO, M3 Global Research

12:00 p.m. - Lunch

1:00 p.m. Inside The "Buy" Side: Fulfilling Client Needs and Expectations
Client-side researchers will provide valuable perspectives on how they are extracting insights to serve internal partners and impact business decisions. What do marketing researchers need to know about evolving client needs? How can research agencies best provide the superior service and value they require?

• Tyler McMullen, session moderator
• Michele Fuller, Director, Global Market Intelligence, Alcon
• Mary Kuklinski, Director, Consumer Research, Valvoline
• Cecilia Wu, Senior Manager, Marketing Research, Sam's Club

2:00 p.m. Inspired Clarity: Illuminating the Power of Growth
To sustain long-term growth, a business must first understand what is at its heart, and then remain relentlessly true to that purpose. Integrity of vision leads to decisions driven by inspired clarity, and creates alignment within an organization so that decision-making in all areas is clear, consistent and competitive. In this interactive, workshop-style session, participants will engage in exercises designed to shed new light on opportunities for growth that are rooted in real strengths and genuine potential. You will learn: How to explore the purpose of your company in a way that opens new doors for growth; How to focus on those strengths that make your company truly remarkable and unearth unique opportunities; How to align your organization behind your vision so that everyone is pulling in the same direction.

• Brenda Williams, Founder, Russell Williams Group

3:15 p.m. - Conference Adjournment

Conference Committee:

Tyler McMullen, President, MarketVision Research, co-chair

Rahul Sahgal, President & CEO, Annik Technology Services, co-chair

Beth Rounds, Partner, Cambiar L.L.C.

Hotel Information

Hyatt Regency Chicago

Set within the epicenter of the city, the AAA Four Diamond Hyatt Regency is conveniently connected to Illinois Center and within minutes of the Magnificent Mile. Sway to the electrified beat of Chicago blues and jazz greats, take in a show at Navy Pier, shop on Michigan Avenue or just enjoy a day in the park or on the water. Dine at the legendary Stetson's steakhouse or take in expansive city views while sipping colossal cocktails at BIG BAR. This cosmopolitan downtown Chicago hotel is central to it all.

Address:	151 East Wacker Drive Chicago, Illinois USA
Room Reservations:	(312) 565-1234

Room Reservations/Deadlines

CASRO has reserved a limited number of sleeping rooms at the Hyatt Regency Chicago at a rate of $219 plus tax, per night for the nights of Sunday, May 15, Monday, May 16 and Tuesday, May 17. Reserve your room online. The hotel room/rate reservation deadline is April 25, 2011, however, this rate is only guaranteed as long as rooms are available in the CASRO room reservation block, so we suggest making your room reservation early. If the room block is full, or it is after April 25, the hotel will take reservations on a rate and space availability basis only.

CASRO reserves the right to release your sleeping room back into the hotel's inventory if you do not register to attend this conference within 5 days of reserving your room. Should you fail to register for the conference, or if you cancel your conference registration, CASRO will not be responsible for cancelling your hotel room and therefore will not be responsible for any cancellation or no-show fees incurred. CASRO also will not be held responsible for any costs incurred due to attendees' inability to travel as a result of inclement weather.

Travel to Chicago

Most visitors enter Chicago by way of O'Hare International Airport (ORD), one of the largest and busiest airports in the world. Smaller airports that service Chicago include the Midway International Airport (MDW) and the Gary/Chicago International Airport (GYY).

About Chicago

Chicago is the third largest city in the U.S. with more than 2.8 million people. The city's upscale shopping along the Magnificent Mile and State Street, thousands of restaurants, as well as eminent architecture, draw tourists from around the globe. Another popular destination is the Museum Campus, a 10-acre lakefront park, surrounding three of the city's main museums: the Adler Planetarium & Astronomy Museum, the Field Museum of Natural History, and the Shedd Aquarium. Spring and summer visitors also are drawn to the famed Wrigley Field, home of baseball's Chicago Cubs.

Registration Fees:

Members: $795 on-site* $995 off-site
Non Members: $1,095 on-site* $1,295 off-site

*To qualify for this rate, you must book your room reservation at the Hyatt Regency Chicago within 5 days of registering for the conference, or the "off-site" registration rate will apply. If at any time you cancel your reservation at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, you will be charged the difference between the on- and off-site registration fees.

The registration fee includes a cocktail reception and dinner on Wednesday and breakfast and lunch on Thursday.

Cancellations on or before Wednesday, April 27 will be charged a $425 cancellation fee.

Cancellations after April 27 and no-shows will forfeit the entire registration fee, but substitutions can be made at any time.

If you have any special requirements, please contact us two weeks prior to the conference.

Sponsorship Opportunities:

 CONFERENCE CO-SPONSORS: $4,500 - 2 available (includes 2 registrations each)

 GENERAL AD SPONSORSHIP: 

 Sponsorship Benefits Include:

Contact Us for More Information