BETHESDA, MD, September 6, 2005 - The Council for Marketing and Opinion Research (CMOR) today named Donna Gillin to the post of Director of Operations of CMOR. Though Gillin has not been associated with CMOR for the past year, her roots with the organization are deep, having previously served in several capacities, including Legislative Assistant, Research Counsel, and most recently Director of Government Affairs of CMOR from 1994 though 2004. She is considered the parent of privacy and government affairs for the marketing and opinion research profession.

Click here to read the full press release.

As the new Director of Operations at CMOR, I am looking forward to working with CMOR and industry members on issues related to Government Affairs and Respondent Cooperation.

My history with CMOR is a long one, beginning in 1994, when I started as Legislative Assistant, monitoring and responding to legislative issues on behalf of the industry. After graduating law school, I returned to CMOR in 1997 as Research Counsel, working on legislative, regulatory and respondent cooperation issues, and was Director of Government Affairs from 1999 through 2004.

Although the industry continues to be presented with challenges and threats in the areas of respondent cooperation and government affairs, CMOR continues our vital work on behalf of the industry. I am excited to be returning to CMOR and heading up these two important initiatives.

As part of our efforts, we recently held Government Affairs and Respondent Cooperation Workshops in Washington, DC. These Workshops provided information on the atmosphere surrounding survey research and imparted information and tools for attendees to implement in their jobs and companies. Included among the key presenters and presentations was a presentation by Federal Trade Commission (FTC) staff member Keith Fentonmiller, as well as a presentation of the new Interviewer Training Modules, created jointly by CMOR and MRA.

At the Workshops, we also unveiled our new tagline of "Shielding the Profession," demonstrating to attendees what the profession would be like if CMOR were not in place. We also announced the launch of our newly designed website (http://mail.yahoo.com/config/login?/outbind://7/www.cmor.org). The website will provide a greater scope of information, be more user-friendly and be an even greater tool for our members, including a new interactive “State Resource Map” enabling survey research professionals to read about legislative issues and initiatives on a state-by-state basis.

I am excited about the opportunity this new position presents and will work to make CMOR an ever stronger advocate and resource for our members and the industry as a whole. We ask that you help us continue our vital role by supporting CMOR and in working with us on our important initiatives.

"PROTECTING OUR ASSETS" - RESPONDENT COOPERATION WORKSHOP 2005 IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

By Harry Heller, CMOR Director of Respondent Cooperation

September 7th to 9th in Washington DC was the time and venue of this year’s Respondent Cooperation Workshop. Over 160 attendees representing all phases of Marketing Research and Opinion Research met in the Hotel Washington, a stone’s throw from the White House, to learn and advance the challenges to increasing respondent cooperation.

This year, the conference lasted three days, enabling CMOR to introduce three new training modules – Avoidance Refusal Training, Supervisor Communications Skills and Voice Training. A sample training module of each was presented using the attendees as trainees with Kathy Pihuj and Patricia Pruitt of Scarborough Research as the trainers. All 23 training modules are available from CMOR in CD for purchase.

The Workshop also included sessions on:

• Issues and techniques arising when interviewing Hispanics and African Americans.
• Efforts to increase cooperation in political polling during the 2004 elections
• Latest trends and results in Avoidance Refusal Training (ART)
• How to improve cooperation across all methodologies (mail, phone, internet)
• What is happening in sampling for: cell phones/portability, address-based sample
• Ways to market your company and industry to improve respondent cooperation, including the CMOR Industry Identifier
• Supervisory Training in Telephone Interviewing Centers
• A quick review of past federal/state activities that affect research

The three day Workshop concluded with a brainstorming session, where attendees discussed the training information presented during the Workshop. This information will be summarized and presented to the attendees and posted on the website.

Response to the conference was enthusiastic and positive throughout the sessions. The Agenda Committee will be analyzing the sessions and workshop evaluations, in order to plan another meaningful and useful respondent cooperation workshop in 2006. Within the next three months, the proceedings, brainstorming ideas, and presentation material will be available for purchase on the CMOR website, so look for that notice if you’re interested in gaining some new insight into ways to increase cooperation in the survey process.

We wish to thank the those CMOR and industry members that assisted us in putting together this successful event...

The Members of the Workshop Agenda Committee:

Diane Burkom, The Battelle Organization
Nancy Hayslett, On-Line Communications
Harry Heller, CMOR
Robie Sangster, Bureau of Labor Statistics
Kathy Pilhuj, Scarborough Research

And our Sponsors:

• Battelle Centers for Public Health Research and Evaluation
• Braun Research, Inc.
• ComScore Networks
• Information Alliance
• Marketing Systems Group
• On-Line Communications, Inc.
• Proctor & Gamble Company
• Greenfield Online
• Scarborough Research
• Taylor Research Inc.
• Voter Consumer Research
• Western Wats Center
• Schlesinger Associates
• Sharon Mutter Field Sourced, Inc.

Click here to learn more about the Respondent Cooperation Workshop!

On Tuesday, September 6^th, CMOR held its Government Affairs Workshop at the Hotel Washington in Washington, DC.  Virtually every area of survey and market research was covered by both speakers and attendees.

The Workshop began with a comprehensive federal update by CMOR’s Director of Government Affairs, Brian Dautch, followed by a presentation of the wide range of state level issues by Government Affairs Analyst LaToya Rembert.

The Workshop further included a “shotgun panel” of speakers representing the entire profession. Click here to read the full article!

As part of this onslaught, more states are concerning themselves with issues such as identify theft. They are also seeking to empower the public with control over their information and in doing so, may trigger consequences for survey research activities. Privacy, especially data privacy, remains a focus and will, in all likelihood, re-emerge in upcoming legislation. CMOR will continue to diligently monitor any developments in privacy and all other areas that may impact the survey research industry and be ready to take action to protect survey research.

Privacy Legislative Action Continues, More Consumer Control

As CMOR has mentioned in previous newsletters, states are seeking to give consumers (and therefore respondents) more control over their personal information. This trend is one that will likely be adopted across the country. Although many state privacy bills that have been enacted into law do not have any current, direct implications for survey research, the context and the theme remain a constant threat. Consumer/respondent control over their personal data is increasing. More importantly, the media and legislative focus on identity theft and the need to protect personal information continues. The widespread protection of privacy could have a detrimental impact, including the non-disclosure of respondent demographic information for fear that it represents personally identifiable information. CMOR is watching the evolution of privacy legislation and will be ready for action whenever it is needed.

A sampling of these types of bills is included below:

Pennsylvania has sought to take significant action against the crime of identity theft. The state has introduced two bills that provide an identity theft database and allow victims to report identity theft.

New York has adopted two bills related to information and security. The first bill requires states agencies and businesses to notify consumers if their personal information is vulnerable to use by unauthorized persons. The state has also adopted legislation to make technical changes to the information security breach and notification act that provides detail and clarity to certain provisions of the act.

North Carolina has adopted the Identity Theft Protection Act of 2005. The act allows a consumer to obtain a security freeze on their credit report and offers protection against business usage of social security numbers, and provides that notice must be provided in the event of a security breach.

Illinois has also adopted legislation that provides certain exemptions to the state’s Freedom of Information Act.

Florida has filed a consumer credit report information bill that would allow consumers to place a security freeze on their credit reports. CMOR will continue to monitor and respond to legislative activity across the country. If you would like further details about the legislation mentioned in this article or other state legislative please contact CMOR’s Government Affairs Analyst, Toya Rembert, Esq. at 301.654.6602 or via email at lrembert@cmor.org.

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