Alumni Focus: Michael Addona '77

This is one a series of Alumni Focus features where we hear from alumni of the Mathematics and Computer Science Department and find out what they have been doing since graduation. This note is from Michael Addona '77, who was a major in Mathematics. Michael was recently on campus recruiting for his company, A.C.Nielsen/VNU.

Michael writes... I am a native of Geneva and graduated from Hobart College in 1977 with a Bachelors degree in Mathematics and obtained my Masters degree in Statistics from the University of Michigan in 1978. I have worked for my current employer for 26 years, beginning in the Statistical Research department at ACNielsen, at that time the world's largest marketing research company (also known in the media arena for producing the Nielsen TV ratings). After 4+ years on the job I was asked to partner with a co-worker to develop a modeling business to help our consumer packaged goods clients address product pricing and promotion issues using store scanner data. As the business grew, I progressed from being a modeling "jack of all trades" to specializing on production oversight for some of our product offerings. Today I liaise between our analytics sales force and those who supervise/perform some of the statistical analyses that our clients request to address their business issues. About my employer: In 2000, VNU, Inc. purchased ACNielsen as part of its strategy to become a leading marketing, media and business information services company. VNU currently employs 36,000 associates in over 100 countries, generating annual global revenues of over $5 billion US dollars. I am employed as a Director/Project Principal within VNU Advisory Services' Modeling & Analytics unit and am located in Schaumburg, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago. ---From Michael Addona, January 20, 2005 Micheal Addona during his recent visit to HWS to recruit and to discuss his career in the Departmental Seminar Series.