Honoring a Luminary: Reg Baker’s Legacy Lives On with the 2025 MRII Reg Baker Career Advancement Award

The winner of the 2025 MRII Reg Baker Career Advancement Award was recently announced for 2025, and once again we congratulate Rodriguez Ajabu of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.   

We also want to take a moment to celebrate the legacy of Reg Baker himself, a passionate advocate for the market research profession and lifelong learning, and a former Executive Director of MRII. Reg’s dedication to advancing the field earned him numerous accolades, including the Reg Baker Award established by MRII in 2020—and significantly enhanced this year with the generous sponsorship of Escalent.  Reg was also inducted into the Market Research Council Hall of Fame in 2023.

Reg, a giant in the market research industry, passed away in 2024, after a brief battle with cancer. Reg’s remarkable career and profound influence will forever leave an indelible mark on the industry, and his legacy lives on through the countless lives he touched. When we posted a tribute to him last year at the time of his passing, the comments that flooded in were heartwarming. 

“Reg set a high bar for what the Executive Director of MRII can contribute to our profession and was a great source of advice for me when I started. The outpouring of remembrances is a testament to the impact he had on so many people, both personally and professionally.”

Ed Keller, Executive Director, MRII

Lisa Courtade, Head of Global Data at Organon, reflected on Reg’s deep commitment to the industry, saying, “I feel blessed to have known Reg Baker and to have had the opportunity to share a little of his incredible journey. Reg’s love of learning and commitment to the insights profession were unparalleled. He was and always will be a giant in this industry.”

Pamela C. Bracken, Senior Development and Special Initiatives Manager at University of Georgia, highlighted Reg’s unwavering dedication to ethical research and education, stating, “Reg was a distinguished leader in the market research industry, renowned for his decades-long contributions to training, education, and thought leadership. He epitomized the traditional researcher, upholding excellence, and ethical practices as his highest priorities.”

Lisa Viselli, Chief Marketing Officer of Escalent, reflected on Reg’s curiosity, kindness, and breadth of interests, saying, “Reg was a giant in the market research industry whose insatiable curiosity was evident throughout his decades-long dedication to advancing the profession. He was also a dear friend to many at Market Strategies International [now Escalent]. His generosity touched many of our lives, personally and professionally. He was kind, approachable and knowledgeable, and you could always count on Reg for an engaging conversation about bird watching, jazz or photography, just to name a few of his interests. It’s wonderful to see his legacy live on in so many ways.”

Reg’s mentorship and leadership impact extended far beyond his professional duties. He was known for his warmth, generosity and ability to make those around him feel valued. Anne Brown, founder of Gazelle Global, fondly remembered him as “kind, funny, and generous,” recalling their many conversations at conferences. “Our industry has lost a great one,” she shared.

Jeffrey Henning, Chief Research Officer at Researchscape International, echoed Reg’s focus on relationships. He shared one of the last messages Reg sent him, writing, “What matters most to me of the work I did over the years is the people I got to know and work with, and that I admit I miss.” This sentiment encapsulates Reg’s enduring legacy—a dedication to fostering meaningful connections and collaborations.

His kindness left a lasting impression on those who knew him personally. Zoe Dowling, Ph.D., Principal Research Manager at Microsoft, recalled meeting Reg in the early 2000s as a PhD student. “His kindness to me as a young professional continued through the years,” she said. “A wonderful career and a wonderful human. It was a privilege to know him.”

His leadership was also marked by a unique sense of humor and humility, which those who worked with him remember fondly. James Whaley from OvationMR shared, “Reg was one of the kindest, most gracious people I’ve met in MR, and his dedication to helping support its betterment is right at the top of the leaderboard.”

As we reflect on Reg’s life and legacy, it’s clear that his influence will continue to inspire generations of market researchers. Dan Fleetwood, President of QuestionPro, expressed a sentiment shared by many: “He was an icon in the MR industry and, beyond that, incredibly caring and generous with his time. He will be missed.”

Ed Keller, the current Executive Director of MRII remarks that “Reg set a high bar for what the Executive Director of MRII can contribute to our profession and was a great source of advice for me when I started. The outpouring of remembrances is a testament to the impact he had on so many people, both personally and professionally.”

Reg’s passing was a profound loss to the market research community. However, his legacy as a mentor, leader and advocate for the field will live on. Reg Baker was truly a giant whose contributions to the industry will continue to resonate for years to come.

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