Spartan Profiles: Joanne Ulnick

DUCKER WORLDWIDE

            In 1961, William Ducker founded Ducker Worldwide LLC, a marketing and research consultancy that provides global analysis, especially in automotive systems and construction.  After he passed away in 1996, the company, now based in Troy, has tripled its revenues under the leadership of daughter Joanne Ulnick, ’83, who was recently labeled a “Portrait of Success” by Crain’s Detroit Business. 

            The firm boasts offices in Paris, Berlin, Montreal, Bangalore and Shanghai, has diversified its product base into industrial products, electronics and chemicals, grows at a 20 percent per year clip, and counts among its clients Masco Corp., Sony Corp., DaimlerChrysler AG, BASF Corp., and Dow Chemical Co.  In 2006, revenues exceeded $15 million.  “I have a great team, so I can’t take all the credit,” says Ulnick.  “It was my father’s idea to diversify, and we’ve certainly brought in researchers and analysts with industry experience to add to our research expertise.” 

            Joanne explains that in recent years Ducker has evolved into a full-service provider, offering not just research data, but also follow-up marketing strategies. 

            A native of Birmingham, Joanne had two sisters attending the University of Michigan and one, Patty, at MSU.  “Patty was having so much fun at MSU with Magic Johnson and all that,” recalls Joanne, who picked MSU over Michigan. 

            “Overall I enjoyed MSU very much,” she says.  “I found a group of friends (at Alpha Phi sorority) with similar values and goals in life and we’ve maintained that friendship through the years.” 

            She enjoyed her business classes, especially one in business law in a Study Abroad program at Erasmus University in Rotterdam.  “The coursework was very, very hard,” she recalls.  “We traveled on weekends, but it wasn’t just go to Europe and have fun.  The professor was very engaging.  I’d say that was my most memorable college experience.”