CHICAGO, November 13, 2006 – Information Resources, Inc. (IRI), the leading global provider of enterprise market information solutions for the consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail and healthcare industries, today announced that recognized beverage alcohol expert David “Bump” Williams will rejoin the company as executive vice president and general manager of the company’s Beer, Wine and Spirits and Wall Street practices in North America.
“We are thrilled that Bump is returning to IRI,” said IRI President and Chief Executive Officer Scott W. Klein. “Bump's unique beverage alcohol expertise, strategic thinking and strong industry relationships will add critical fuel to the growth of these vertical practices and the value we provide our clients and the marketplace.”
Williams is one of beverage alcohol’s most respected trend authorities and a regularly cited source by many of today’s top Wall Street analyst firms and industry trade publications. This appointment underscores the continued IRI commitment to beverage alcohol manufacturers, distributors, retailers and the analyst community covering this space.
“Both Wall Street and the beverage alcohol verticals require unique domain expertise, highly specialized products and solutions and tailored client service models to fully understand the rapidly evolving beverage alcohol marketplace,” said President of IRI CPG and Healthcare Solutions North America John Lawlor. “IRI remains dedicated to delivering comprehensive thought leadership, innovative products and solutions and completely new forms of predictive, analytically-based consumer and retailer insights for these critical sectors.”
“The beverage industry and the equity analysts covering the space are looking for disruptive change in the way they evaluate and drive business,” said Williams. “IRI has long been recognized as the gold standard in delivering measurement information to the beverage alcohol arena. Now, the company is empowering a transformation to the analytics enterprise to drive meaningful growth, deeper consumer and retailer insights and better decision making. I’m pleased to be rejoining the organization and to be making IRI the platinum standard in delivering accurate, innovative and predictive intelligence to the beverage alcohol arena.”
With more than 25 years of CPG and beverage alcohol experience, Williams rejoins IRI after serving as senior vice president, national accounts and retail strategies for Fort Collins, Colo.-based New Belgium Brewing Company. He initially joined IRI as client service vice president, managing the Anheuser-Busch business as well as other small beverage customers. During his tenure with IRI, he assumed leadership of the Wall Street vertical as well as led development of the beverage alcohol vertical practice. Before IRI, Williams was with the ACNielsen Company and headed its business development and client service group for the East Coast region. Williams began his career with the Procter & Gamble Distributing Company. He earned a master’s degree from The Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree from North Adams State College.
About Information Resources, Inc.
Information Resources, Inc. (IRI) is the world’s leading provider of enterprise market information solutions and services, empowering its clients to grow their business profitably in a complex marketplace. Driving the transformation of the consumer packaged goods (CPG), retail, and healthcare industries, only IRI provides a unique combination of real-time market content, advanced analytics, enterprise performance management software, and professional services. The company’s portfolio of services, solutions, and technology enable leading retailers and their suppliers around the globe to see what they are missing, act faster with greater confidence, and win at the shelf. Ninety-five percent of the FORTUNE Global 500 in CPG and retail leverage IRI to power their business. For more information, visit http://us.infores.com.