Burke CEO Jeff Miller to Retire

US research and training company Burke, Inc. has announced that CEO Jeff Miller is to retire after 31 years with the firm. He will be replaced by Diane Surette, who will take up the position of President and Chief Executive on 1st October.

Employee-owned Burke uses research methodologies, analytical techniques and technology to support clients across all major industry sectors; and provides MR and consumer insights education through The Burke Institute. Miller joined in 1988 and has also served as the firm's Chief Operating Officer. He is the current Treasurer and member of the Board of Directors for the Insights Association; previously served as the Chair of the Advisory Board for the A.C. Nielsen Center for Marketing Research at the University of Wisconsin; and is the past Chair of the MMR advisory board at the University of Georgia.

Surette takes over leadership of the firm where she has worked for the past 23 years, most recently as President & Chief Client Officer. After setting up a strategic consulting division for Burke in 2004, she was promoted to SVP, Client Services, and later to EVP, with responsibility for leading the entire Client Services function. She has served on Burke's Board of Directors since 2007.

Surette will be Burke's first female CEO since Alberta Burke, the firm's founder, who retired in 1964. Miller, who will continue to serve on Burke's Board of Directors and act as consultant to the company, comments: 'Diane has a strong strategic perspective, a creative approach to solving problems, and an intuitive desire to foster a culture of collaboration. While it is a difficult decision to leave the company that I love so much, knowing we have a capable management team led by Diane as President and CEO makes it easier to step away'.

Web site www.burke.com .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.