College of Business Hall of Famer completes oral history

John S. Heakin (left), College of Business alumnus, congratulates John H. Summey, associate professor of marketing.

John S. Heakin, College of Business alumnus, Hall of Famer and External Advisory Board member and president of North American Insights, was asked to co-chair the Marketing Research Association's (MRA) first Oral History Project, which celebrate the group's 50th Anniversary. “I was quite honored that the Marketing Research Association chose me to record its history,” said Heakin.

Heakin travelled across the nation videotaping famous members of the MRA. “These are some of the most senior, most successful leaders of our industry. The opportunity to sit with the all-time greats in your business, trace their careers, learn of the things they accomplished while serving the MRA, and see this experience through their eyes was very instructive to me and the most fun I have had while working for the Association,” he said.

He filmed three interviews during College of Business Distinguished Teacher Dr. John Summey's Marketing 390 classes in the fall of 2006. Heakin interviewed the retired Research Director of Southwestern Bell Donald Marek who is past president and lifetime honorary member of MRA, Sig Saltz, a College of Business alumnus who was president of the Chicago Chapter of MRA during the aftermath of 9/11, and Dr. Summey. After all the tapes were completed with more than fifty hours of funny stories and poignant memories, 48 segments were selected to tell MRA's history. Two segments from the Marek interview made the final cut, and the full presentation in DVD format was given to every attendee at the MRA's gala 50th Anniversary Celebration in San Francisco.

“It is important for newer and younger members of our industry to learn how the business and the Association were started, and developed. Putting the many years of hard work and sacrifice some members made for the good of the industry and the professional education and development of their colleagues into perspective has been a fitting end to my service to the MRA as I could not have bowed out on a higher note,” Heakin said.