Brian E. Owen, CEO
"We take the time to understand each client’s different needs and challenges. That way, we’re sure that we’re providing the right solutions for every client.”
Dr. Brian Owen is one of NRG’s founders and the company’s senior public affairs researcher. He has managed hundreds of research projects of all sizes in Canada and the United States—from million dollar national election campaign research programs to advising a local church on a new approach to delivering their Sunday evening service. He directly manages a number of client project files at the same time as leading the development and growth of NRG.
Over a 30-year career, he has developed expertise in research related to:
- Public opinion and public affairs
- Voter satisfaction and election campaign
- Corporate public affairs issues management
- Communication – Message development and tracking; and target audience identification
He has worked with clients in:
- Entertainment
- Recreation
- Tourism
- Environment / Conservation
- Radio
- Advertising
- Insurance
- Government policy
- Telecommunications
- Education
- Agribusiness
- Healthcare
- Fundraising
- Politics
- Technology
Currently he specializes in public affairs in agribusiness, recreation and the political sector.
In 1981 Brian founded Western Opinion Research and grew the company into one of Canada’s leading market and public opinion research firms.
He then established NRG Research Group in 2005 with the merger of Western Opinion Research and Nordic Research Group. Together, these companies represent more than 50 years of market and public opinion research leadership.
He has served as a professor of business strategy at the University of Manitoba’s Asper School of Business for 30 years. He has also worked as a strategic facilitator with leading organizations, including an interprovincial committee developing a national “Passport” approach to securities regulation and a US organization establishing a “Catastrophic Care” HMO.
Brian Owen earned his PhD in Business Strategy from the Ivey Business School at the University of Western Ontario and his Master of Agricultural Economics degree from the University of Manitoba.