Marc Bland joined Polk, a global automotive market intelligence firm, in 1999 and has held a number of positions, including Multicultural Marketing Lead, Product Strategist, and Systems Engineer. Currently the Head of Diversity and Inclusion, he brings broad automotive industry knowledge and expertise, together with international experience, to the position. Marc has been instrumental in Polk’s development of strategic alliances with organisations like the Michigan Black Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Minority Auto Dealers (NAMAD), 3AF (the Asian American Advertising Federation), and Rainbow Push Coalition, led by the Rev. Jesse Jackson. Bland’s product development experience makes him particularly suited for working across the Polk organisation to ensure a broad suite of products and custom solutions meet the unique marketing needs of automotive manufacturers, dealers, advertising and marketing decision makers focused on diverse automotive communities. He has initiated several sophisticated measurement and analytical processes to drive change at Polk and in the automobile industry. They include the development of datasets and special population profiles used to improve auto products and services to support business development opportunities within diverse communities. Marc’s efforts have helped to position Polk as an automotive industry leader in helping its customer base develop multi-cultural business opportunities.

Marc Bland is a recognised thought leader and sought-after speaker. He is often quoted in prestigious publications like Black Enterprise, The Michigan Chronicle, and Advertising Age and is actively involved in the community as a speaker at ethnic-based automotive industry events like NAMAD and the Rainbow Push Auto Symposium. He has earned national recognition for his expertise and successes, including 2011 Emerging Leader award from Rainbow Push, 2012 Michigan Chronicle Man of Excellence, and 2012 National Research Executive of the Year from Target Market News in Chicago.

Favorite Quote: “Learn, Apply and Share” - Marc Bland

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