Steve Wierdak Email Address

Market Research Director

With more than 39,000 members, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is the world's largest medical association of musculoskeletal specialists. The AAOS provides educational programs for orthopaedic surgeons and allied health professionals, champions and advances the highest quality musculoskeletal care for patients, and is the authoritative source of information on bone and joint conditions, treatments and related issues.

The past several years have involved extensive primary research in the healthcare space, with the objective of gathering and assessing actionable consumer and physician insights. I have evolved into an insights leader for my internal clients, collaborating and designing research solutions to business problems. These studies, both qualitative and quantitative in nature are designed to guide and inform marketing strategies and move the organizations I have worked for forward, as leading healthcare institutions in the midwest. At the AAOS, I serve as Market Research Director and serve as the primary investigator for all research projects. I was charged with designing a 3 year strategic research plan to advance the Academy's new strategic plan. The current implementation of the research plan will allow for comprehensive marketing research programs that will capture and communicate market data and insights that will provide staff and volunteers with direction toward achieving the Academy's education strategy and its goals related to program development, audience needs, participation, and increased revenue. Experience includes: • branding and re-positioning work • segmentation research • market assessment and competitive intelligence • community benefit/services research • employee research • ad evaluation research • new product trial and usage research • new product/concept development programs • pricing research • referring physician research • website usability and satisfaction research • on-line qualitiative focus groups • trained focus group moderator (RIVA) Prior to my time at AAOS and Northwestern, I spent 16 years on the market research supplier side managing projects, both consumer and business-to-business based, identifying actionable research solutions for an array of companies in the financial, real estate, manufacturing and CPG space.