Meetings and Incentives Firm Opens Insight Unit

US-based meeting and incentive management firm Creative Group, Inc. has announced the launch of a new Design & Insights practice, which will bring insights to bear on program design. Melissa Van Dyke has been appointed as VP leading the new unit from August 26th.

The Group was founded in 1970, was acquired by Direct Travel in 2015 and employs more than 200 people, with headquarters in Schaumburg, IL and offices in four other US cities. The new practice aims to combine data insights with experience design knowledge using the Group's proprietary design methodology, i|xperience.

Van Dyke, who will report to SVP Business Development Glenn Darlington, has been President of the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) for almost ten years, helping to trple its research and education footprint and overseeing growth of its primary incentive travel industry event, the IRF Invitational. Earlier she was Managing Consultant of the Employee Engagement Practice at Maritz Motivational Solutions, Inc. and a Senior Business Process and Technology Consultant for Ernst & Young LLP.

Her new position will support the company's 'Thrivabiilty' vision and offer clients both behavioral insights on their programs and better strategies for unlocking engagement in their core audiences.

Darlington comments: 'We see that our client's primary intent for hosting a meeting, event or incentive program hasn't changed dramatically over the years, but the need and ability to measure, monitor and adapt the programs quickly has. Combining Creative Group's strong in-house design and operations resources with Melissa's experience in research and data insights will ensure we enhance our client's incentive, loyalty or recognition programs at the pace required'.

The firm is on the web at www.creativegroupinc.com .