ABOUT JEFF DUVALL, FOUNDER and CEO

So, who is this Jeff Duvall character?
OK, here's the simple version:
Hi There. My name is Jeff Duvall. As the saying goes… some of you know me a lot, some of you know me a little, and some of you don't know me at all. After a LOT of consideration, learning, experience and reflection, I had a moment of clarity a few years ago (in the movies, this would be the scene, about half-way through the movie, where the "hero's journey" begins… cue the music): I realized that I love to LEARN, I love to TEACH, I love to SHARE, I love to HELP and I love to pay my mortgage. I am at my best when I can be continuously LEARNING, TEACHING others in the process, SHARING what I think could best help others reach their goals, HELPING people in win/win manners, and doing all this while being pragmatic in the process (the "paying the mortgage" part). My focus is on helping brand teams, organizations and companies by converting complex consumer and marketing challenges into actionable and understandable opportunities.

Why Me?
Something you should know up front: I have pursued a background that is neither better nor worse than anyone else's, but it is truly different. My interests, learning curve and journey have included the earning of several academic degrees, ranging from a bachelor degree in Marketing (from Miami University in Ohio), graduate degrees from the University of Connecticut's Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (yes, I was interested in the whole sustainable/eco/green/environmental area long before it was cool) and, separately, another grad degree from the Department of Economics (funny how you rarely meet rich economists in academia).

I am now complementing these degrees with a PhD degree in Sociology from Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta. This Sociology doctorate is really interesting because it focuses in areas of family dynamics, health and life course (translation: learning about the stressors and considerations and potential for empathetic intervention relating to different age segments… from birth to death… from conception, adolescence, young adulthood, middle age, retirement, post-retirement to elderly issues). Add in some social psychology, and you have a really cool program.

And while we all know some "career students", I have also been lucky enough to repeatedly earn my stripes in the "real world" for more than 15 years in some unique roles with some very unique organizations. This includes time as a economics researcher at the Food Marketing Policy Center at the University of Connecticut (slinging some anti-trust and food/beverage research while navigating through the insanity of ivory tower academic egos and politics), Information Resources, Inc (at the time, the largest marketing research company in the US) supporting the P&G business (P&G = largest advertiser and purveyor of packaged goods on the planet), and many years in the Global Marketing and Insights group at The Coca-Cola Company (Coke = #1 Brand in the World… thanks Interbrand).

With over 15 years of real world marketing and consumer insights experience, I saw firsthand the roles, complexities and impact of quantitative research, qualitative investigation, trends, foresights and innovation process supporting consumer understanding and marketing strategy.

And in between the cracks, while working, I was fortunate enough to teach at the college level in Economics and Sociology. Personal favorite is my Social Problems course, in which I help students to understand, deconstruct, empathize with, and develop ameliorative thinking and strategies around social issues like the environment, sustainability, public health, obesity, epidemics, poverty, aging issues, racism, religious issues, and gender bias. I love being in a position to help others relate to these topics and thinking through options for helping in meaningful and pragmatic ways, as well as what they, as specific individuals, are capable of doing to impact change.


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