Marilyn Raymond

Marilyn Raymond


Executive Vice President, Tradecraft & Innovation Resources


In her leadership role at Arbor Strategy Group, Marilyn draws on over 25 years experience chronicling trends and consumer motivators as they relate to new product success in the market.  Marilyn's background and training provide her with a deep understanding of not only what motivates consumers today, but what will motivate them tomorrow.  This expertise is crucial to finding future opportunity space where truly consumer-centric innovation can be created.

Marilyn began her career in market research for Del Monte/RJR Foods.  She later headed new product research for the company's frozen foods division.  Marilyn then left the corporate side to consult with internationally based companies looking to launch brands and products domestically.  She joined The New Products Showcase and Learning Center (NPSLC) in 1998 and used her expertise in understanding consumer and product trends to help CPG companies both domestically and abroad be more successful in the new product process.

When ASG bought NPSLC, Marilyn moved with the company and helped integrate the dynamic processes and resources of the two organizations.  She created ASG's own on-site innovation resource center, NewProductWorks®, including expanding and managing its unique physical collection of 110,000+ new and historical consumer packaged goods that spans decades and more than 300 global product categories.

Marilyn's current focus at ASG is to help companies in all phases of the innovation and ideation process.  She brings significant expertise on emerging consumer trends and gaining deep consumer insights.  Her work is integral to finding future-focused opportunities that exist in the marketplace.

Marilyn has duel degrees in Consumer Behavior and Food Marketing from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, and has been an adjunct professor of business at Ithaca College.  She has given numerous presentations and published trade articles on consumer motivation, finding future opportunity space and the new product development process.

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"ASG provides insight grounded in the dynamics of the category and competitive environment which in turn allows them to make recommendations that are innovative and actionable. Their work has helped us better prioritize and position our portfolio as well as define promising new growth platforms into which we can extend our brand."

Division General Manager
Food Products