Kathy McCurry, Innovation and Insights Resume

1. 770-826-0319
KathyMcCurry@att.net
http://www.linkedin.com/in/kathymccurry
Willing to go where opportunity beckons
executive summary : finding untapped business potential and profits
An insights expert who brings a consumer-centric approach to finding innovative product, marketing & brand
opportunities by uncovering deep insights that align with strategic objectives to drive profitable growth. Bringing a passion
for design-thinking combined with the discipline of strategic research and empathy to know the consumer better than they
know themselves – how they think, feel, live and make decisions. Then, bring them to life for management, creative, R&D and
marketing teams in ways that drive behavior change among end consumers. Highly creative and analytical with an intense
curiosity and ability to ‘connect the dots’ between the business and consumer dynamics in new, yet pragmatic ways. By
bringing consumer insights into the front end of innovation, companies can generate profits more effectively and efficiently.
Seeking to work with smart, savvy and collaborative professionals where human potential is cultivated and valued.
critical skill set : 15+ years of successfully delivering solutions to real business situations
 Consumer Insights / Consumer-Centric  Strategic Planning / Account Planner
 Design-Thinking Process  Brand Development / Stewardship
 New Product Development, Professional Certification  Marketing, Communication & Advertising Evaluation
 Qualitative Research Expert / Ethnography / Moderator  Stage Gate Process
 Quantitative Research Expert  Nielsen, IRI Scanner and HH Panel Data
 Brainstorming / Ideation / Creativity Teams  Segmentation: demographic, attitudinal, lifestage, brand
 Product, Concept & Positioning Development / Iterative  P&L, Budget Management
special skills : Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), B-to-B, B-to-C
 Consumer Insights, Through Their Eyes & From Their Hearts: 15+ yrs. experience in insights
management from methodology design, implementation, analysis & presentation; Trend
tracking, market structure, segmentation, need state ID, AAUs, consumer psychology and
decision-modeling, brand evaluation and mapping, concept ideation>development>test &
launch, packaging and communications evaluation, relationship between consumer-industry-
brands; Professional moderator, interviewer, iterative qualitative, ethnography, observer,
design-thinking; Human Factors. Uncovering insights that fuel profitable growth – uncovering
unmet and unarticulated needs.
 Strategically focused: Mindful of the overall goals and profitability; Sky view to trench view.
 Innovative Thinker/Curious Mind: Energized by finding or creating new approaches, new
products, new segments, or new ways to communicate that ‘unlock’ opportunities and create
stronger links between companies, brands and their target audiences.
 Resourceful: finding the right people, technologies, resources and vendors.
 Communication is Critical: Highly collaborative; able to develop compelling communications
from concept tests to management presentations that influence; Consumer positioning that
sells and brands that resonate both rationally and emotionally.
 Obstacles… what are those? Fortitude, perseverance; not a prima-donna.
 Analytical: Expertise at translating research data and trends into insights and opportunities.
 Creative: Intellectually, conceptually, strategically, and visually.
 Profit-oriented: Focus on improving profits and revenue without sacrificing quality.
 Curious, question the status-quo: In what ways might we…?
 Entrepreneurial, Self-Motivated: Highly passionate and engaged – I love what I do!
 Quick Learner, Life-long Learner: Can quickly grasp complex business issues.
Consumer Insights for Innovation
“Kathy has the unique ability
to see within and beyond the
numbers to bring the consumer
to life for internal teams.”
Paul Wilson,
VP Research & Planning, Ayer
Advertising/Chicago
Strategic Marketing
Awards
Multiple Top Award Winner
MCI Business Markets
Honored as a rising
star of Chicago’s
advertising community to
participate in the
4A’s/Northwestern Univ.
Advanced Advertising
Studies Program
Strengths Finder 2.0:
Strategic, Ideation,
Intellection, Learner,
Futuristic
KathyMcCurry

2. KathyMcCurry@att.net | Consumer-Centric Innovation | 770-826-0319 | Cleveland, OH Page 2
employment summary : marketing, advertising, insights, new product development
DIRECTOR OF CONSUMER INSIGHTS AND PRODUCT INNOVATION CLASSY RIDER, INC. 2005 - Present
Founded a niche line of innovative apparel for the motorcycle market with a nationwide presence.
 Conceived, designed and launched line of motorcycle apparel that reflects the changing demographics of riders. Managed:
Business plan, P&L, apparel design, overseas sourcing and production, brand position, continuous improvements based on
feedback, trademark and patent applications, national retail and dealer tradeshows, dealer programs, marketing & public
relations, catalogue production, direct-to-rider web store. Received national recognition from numerous industry magazines
for innovative new product introduction that fills unmet need.
SENIOR MARKET RESEARCHER GOJO INDUSTRIES 2010 – Late 2011
Manufacturer of PURELL Sanitizer and GOJO soaps and heavy-duty hand cleaners for B2B and consumer retail.
 Insights for PURELL consumer re-launch (CPG): Brand development, product claims and testing (TURF),
line extension concept screens, new packaging graphics testing (eye-tracking, retail break-through),
product positioning; Iterative in-depth positioning development among health care professionals for new
formula (BtoB) resulted in successful launch in critical hospital segment. Iterative ideation among heavy-duty hand cleaner
users and KDMs to design new dispenser system working collaboratively with internal and external industrial designers and
product development team.
QUALITATIVE EXPERT/INDEPENDENT MODERATOR THE SOUNDING BOARD, INC. 1999 - 2005
Marketing Research company focused on custom qualitative research methodologies
 Generated revenues of $1.5M+ working with primarily Fortune 50 clients, providing professional qualitative research services:
focus groups, in-depths, dyads, triads, ethnography. Including: New Product/Service concept refinement and development,
positioning development, brand perceptions, communications evaluation; developed “Consumer Dialoguing” methodology to
improve effectiveness of and more fully engage internal teams with consumer. Some clients: The Coca-Cola Company,
Georgia-Pacific, Cingular Wireless, GTE Wireless, MCI, Novartis, Home Depot, Red Lobster.
MANAGER, BRAND AND ADVERTISING RESEARCH: B2B MCI BUSINESS MARKETS/VERIZON 1996 - 1998
Provider of information technology and communication services to mid-large sized businesses.
 Managed all research for brand and advertising communications with budget of $2.5M; quantitative and
qualitative research; tracking studies, new product positioning development, in-depth target audience
profiling; championed major branding initiative and development of brand definition.
DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH & STRATEGIC/ACCOUNT PLANNING: JWT/ATLANTA ADVERTISING 1990 - 1996
 Designed and managed all quantitative and qualitative research conducted by agency and clients. Acted as
primary researcher for all client research: Customer satisfaction, win-loss lead studies, new product concept
development, screen and test market, positioning exploration and development, brand and advertising
evaluation, AAUs; uncovered numerous insights driving strategic planning that positively impacted clients’
business. Some clients: Orkin, U.S. Marine Corps, Norfolk Southern, Sanderson Farms, Rich-SeaPak, Bali Blinds.
 Quadrupled agency research revenue to $1.2M annually making it a profit center by providing actionable
insights to clients and increasing demand for research.
ASSOCIATE RESEARCH DIRECTOR NW AYER/CHICAGO ADVERTISING 1987 - 1990
 Managed all aspects of consumer insights and account planning for assigned clients; Ameritech: re-structured segmentation
study resulting in new strategic plan that changed consumer behavior and increased client sales by 10+%. Re-positioned and
re-energized candy brands Milk Duds and Jolly Rancher by identifying key need states and uncovering new target
audiences/situation uses, resulted in sales increase and achievement of wider distribution.
Insightful. Passionate. Determined.

3. KathyMcCurry@att.net | Consumer-Centric Innovation | 770-826-0319 | Cleveland, OH Page 3
success stories: turning insights into profits, just a few examples…
Launched line of niche apparel to meet a white space opportunity gap for motorcycle apparel that allows riders to
use fuel-efficient two-wheel vehicles for transportation such as shopping and commuting; Including product designs,
global sourcing, branding & positioning, continuous improvement, marketing program, tradeshows, dealer programs,
sales. Brand achieved recognition and positive reviews by more than a dozen leading industry magazine editors.
Revived stale candy brands, Jolly Rancher & Milk Duds by uncovering compelling benefits vs. market
leaders, and developing re-energized positioning and new target segments. Milk Duds re-positioned as the
‘unpretentious, down-to-earth candy that is perfect for when you’re hanging out by yourself (watching TV, doing
homework, etc.)” resulting in sales increases of 15+%. Uncovered key differentiator for Jolly Rancher vs. Life
Savers: Life Savors are just colors, but Jolly Rancher has intense fruit flavors that excite the senses. Also revealed
need for more convenient roll pack that when combined with renewed positioning, resulted in expanded distribution
to new outlets and increased sales by more than 25%.
Increased revenue for Ameritech by impacting everyday consumer behavior; Designed strategic life-stages
segmentation that identified: High-value segments, who they were, how they lived and communicated, how to reach
them, and ways to motivate them to make more local phone calls – everyday. Results: Highly targeted creative
messaging and media that increased revenue by 20% using fewer media dollars. Key segments were inspired to
make more phone calls, every day.
Purell Posteriors Concept; GOJO, faced with declining sales and a warehouse full of aging inventory of Purell
hand sanitizer and thousands of dispensers, was seeking new ways to get sanitizer installed in more places.
Conceived idea of Purell Posteriors which would displace the unchallenged toilet seat tissue cover category by
providing a new use for Purell and gaining installation in public restroom stalls. Concept was well-received by
consumers and represented a significant opportunity for the company to expand placement and usage occasions.
education, associations and more: Always learning, always leading…
 University of Denver, BSBA Marketing; multiple Dean’s List; Member Mu Kappa Tau/Honors Marketing Fraternity
 University of Hartford, Fine Arts/Conceptual Art, 2 years study
 Northwestern University/Medill School; Institute of Advanced Advertising Studies
 Creative Problem Solving Institute, Springboard Program to expand creativity facilitation
 NPDP Certified , New Product Development Professional Certification, 2009
 Weatherhead School for Executive Education, Case Western Reserve University:
o Designing Solutions for Innovation & Strategy Certificate Program, Spring/Summer 2013
o Managing High-Impact Teams Certificate Program, Spring/Summer 2013
 VP Hospitality, Board Member of Cleveland AMA; Currently hold position
 Speaker: National AMA conference main stage and several specialty associations on Branding
 Visiting Professor: For both undergrad and MBA students on consumer insights and branding
 Volunteer: Adult literacy programs as classroom instructor/assistant 2009 - 2012
just some of the companies I’ve had the privilege to work with/for:
CPG:, Purell, Milk Duds, Whoppers, Jolly Rancher, Georgia-Pacific, Sanderson Farms, Rich Sea-Pak, The Coca-Cola Company, Bali
Blinds, Kellogg's; Telecom: Ameritech, GTE Wireless, Cingular Wireless, MCI Business Markets , Bell South; B2B: MCI Business
Markets, Orkin, Norfolk Southern, Bali Blinds; Healthcare: Novartis (consumer eye care), Upjohn, Perrigo new product concepts,
various hospitals’ special services; Kids/Teens: USMC (teen psychology and decision-making), Milk Duds, Whoppers, Jolly
Rancher; Ethnography/In-Store: Home Depot/General Electric joint in-store merchandising, Hallmark/Walmart joint studies;
Banking/Financial: Citicorp Savings
Creative. Proactive. Pragmatic.
Posteriors