The Memorial Wall
They inspired, educated and advocated for Competitive Intelligence
Competitive Intelligence Fellows
Rebecca Behrens
Rebecca Behrens (1952-2017) started her working career at Ohio’s Lakewood Community College in the library. She then moved on to the library at Diamond Shamrock. In 1988 she earned her BA from Cleveland State University and after graduation formed the library at the Cleveland Advanced Manufacturing Program. Here she was fascinated by the opportunity to write company newsletters where she wrote about competition’s activities. The intrigued her to join SCIP and she co-founded the Northeast Ohio SCIP Chapter. This led her to being asked to join Ernst & Young (E&Y) as the leader and builder of their CI initiative.
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Rebecca loved the chapter level work at SCIP because organizing and running events enabled face to face interaction with others involved in CI initiatives and developed strong relationships in her local community. It helped to build her vision to create a function at E&Y focused on knowledge sharing throughout the organization both vertically and horizontally that supported both strategic and tactical decision making. The department was appropriately named “The Center for Business Knowledge.” which drew attention from many other organizations as a model structure with prudent branding.
Rebecca went to expand her leadership role at SCIP when she joined the Board of Directors and took on the responsibility to co-chair chapter relations and activities. Her lessons learned in Ohio and at E&Y could be shared with others starting or growing chapters all over the country and the world. This vastly expanded her network and her influence and acted as a catalyst for the rapid national and international growth of SCIP at the time.
Rebecca loved her work and cherished the people she worked with each day, whether at E&Y or as a volunteer leader. Unfortunately, Rebecca got ill and suffered from a long-term chronic disease which took her from us far too early in life. Her positive attitude and broad impact on CI at both the local level and around the world serves as an inspiring legacy for the profession.
Michael Belkine
Michael Belkine had a nearly 30-year career in intelligence and security in both in field and staff roles beginning in 1963 Israel. This led to his continuing interest in the theory and practice of intelligence discipline in national and business applications.
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When he retired from public service in 1991, he moved to the private sector when he joined Shafran Ltd., a security consultancy to set up their CI operation. He managed their consulting and operational activities until 2005, when he organized his own private CI consultancy, Spendour, Ltd, where he worked until 2010 and then retired.
Michael was a founding member of the Israeli Competitive Intelligence Forum (ICIF) in 1992, and chaired it from 1996-2006. The organization was initiated by Ben Gilad who worked and resided in Israel at the time. It struggled initially as it was unclear how its role differed from that of the Israeli government intelligence services which were well established and widely known.
Michael was introduced to SCIP in 1992 and felt the ICIF needed true international recognition and common operating principles as an affiliate of the leading global organization, particularly in its ethical practices. An alliance partnership was developed that emphasized the ongoing independence of the international and national group regarding programs it supported primarily by maintaining an ongoing dialogue between the entities.
Michael expanded his volunteer role in CI when was elected to the SCIP Board of Directors in 2006. He was the sole international member of the Board and advocated for a Member Service Charter which would define the services members would receive from the global leadership body, which was eventually adopted, but ended shortly after he resigned from the Board. Michael became disappointed with the lack of recognition and respect that CI had gained in the business community as compared to the fully integrated and central role it had in national defense and security based on his extensive Israeli military experience. It was his hope that after he retired CI would eventually grow to become viewed as it had been in the military setting and offer valued strategic guidance to business executives as it had for so long been a practice with military decision makers.
Faye Brill
Faye, a Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP – known since 2009 as the Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals) founding member (1986), served chapters chair in the early to mid 90s, and was elected the 1996 SCIP President. She was manager of competitive intelligence at The NutraSweet Company in Illinois for nine years as well as Director, Business Intelligence for Ryder, and Meritor Automotive for many more. For her many contributions to SCIP and the CI field, she was elected as a CI Fellow in 1999.
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Faye was well known for her advocacy for the importance of ethical intelligence practices. She frequently spoke to the media about how some firms outside of the Society would operate at the edge of the law, often crossing the lines between ethical and legal, versus unethical and illegal. She saw that as a threat to the developing CI field. Faye was always known for pushing her staff to deliver value-added research outputs and results. She made many contributions at SCIP conferences as well as articles published in SCIP’s publications (e.g., Competitive Intelligence Review).
Her outstanding service and advocacy for SCIP and the profession led SCIP to name one of its most prestigious awards after her, the Faye Brill Service Award. It was given annually to individuals who demonstrated lasting contributions to the profession.
William (Bill) DeGenaro
Bill (Fellow - 1991) had over 40 years of strategic planning, intelligence, and business management experience. He was director of Business Research and analysis for the 3M Company and also director of Innovations Resources. Bill received a management degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and underwent advanced studies at the Joint Military Intelligence College in Washington, DC, Harvard University, Columbia University, and University of Minnesota. He was an active member of professional organizations including Operations Security Professionals Society, Security Affairs Support Association, Strategic Leadership Forum, National Military Intelligence Officers Association and the Association of Former Intelligence Officers. Bill served on the SCIP board of directors twice (1992-95; 1996-98) and is a Fellow of the Society.
Jan Herring
A pioneer, teacher, and visionary in the field of competitive intelligence, Jan Herring shaped the profession in ways that continue to guide practitioners around the world. His passing leaves a profound absence, but his legacy endures in the institutions he built, the methods he advanced, and the countless professionals he inspired.
Jan’s career began with more than 20 years of service as a professional intelligence officer at the Central Intelligence Agency, where he earned the Medal of Distinction for his contributions. In 1982, he became Motorola’s founding Director of Competitive Intelligence, establishing one of the earliest and most influential corporate intelligence functions in the world.
His work at Motorola helped define how modern organizations integrate intelligence into strategic decision‑making. Jan later founded Herring & Associates, a consulting firm dedicated to strengthening intelligence capabilities across industries. He also established the business intelligence consulting practice at The Futures Group, further expanding the reach of structured intelligence methods. In 1999, Jan co‑founded what would become the Fuld‑Gilad‑Herring Academy of Competitive Intelligence (ACI)—today the oldest and largest institution dedicated to CI education. As founding faculty, he helped design the first comprehensive CI curriculum, which later became the global standard for training intelligence professionals.
Jan was a founding member and Fellow of the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP). In 1993, he received SCIP’s highest honor—the Meritorious Award—recognizing his lifetime contributions to the field. His peers consistently described him as one of the most respected and influential figures in both government and business intelligence.
Jan authored Measuring the Effectiveness of Competitive Intelligence (1996), a foundational work that helped organizations understand and evaluate the strategic value of intelligence programs. He also co‑authored influential research on competitive technology intelligence, shaping how companies integrate scientific and technological insights into strategic planning.
But perhaps Jan’s greatest legacy lies in his mentorship. He had a rare ability to make complex ideas accessible, to challenge assumptions with kindness, and to elevate everyone around him. His influence lives on in the professionals he trained, the leaders he guided, and the community he helped build.
Just some of his contributions:
Bonnie Hohhof
For over three decades, Bonnie was widely recognized as an expert in the design, development, and implementation of competitive intelligence operations in the private sector. Her experience in intelligence includes the Corporate Strategy Offices of both Motorola and Ameritech (AT&T/SBC), as well as serving as SCIP’s CI Information and Research Director for 11 years between 2002-13. She was an established author on trade shows and technical intelligence, intelligence ethics, competitive information systems, and starting a competitive intelligence functions.
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Bonnie Hohhof
Elected a Competitive Intelligence Fellow by SCIP in 1994.
Passed away May 14, 2017.Biographical Remembrance:
For over three decades, Bonnie was widely recognized as an expert in the design, development, and implementation of competitive intelligence operations in the private sector. Her experience in intelligence includes the Corporate Strategy Offices of both Motorola and Ameritech (AT&T/SBC), as well as serving as SCIP’s CI Information and Research Director for 11 years between 2002-13. She was an established author on trade shows and technical intelligence, intelligence ethics, competitive information systems, and starting a competitive intelligence functions. A charter member of Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP), Bonnie also served on their Board of Directors and as the executive editor of Competitive Intelligence Review (Wiley) and Competitive Intelligence Magazine. She received SCIP’s Fellow (1994), Meritorious (2004), and Faye Brill (2004) awards for her service to the profession. Bonnie provided business intelligence support to companies at both the corporate and division level. She also served as an adjunct faculty member in CI at George Washington University. She earned a BA in Political Science from Northwestern University, an MS in Information Sciences from Dominican University, and an MBA from Roosevelt University.
One of the most prolific authors, editors and knowledge sharers in CI for decades, Bonnie was the author or editor of the following major contributions to the CI body of knowledge:
Competitive Intelligence Anthology (SCIP, 2010)
Competitive Technical Intelligence (with CI Fellow W. Brad Ashton, CI Foundation, 2009)
Starting a Competitive Intelligence Function (with CI Fellow Kenneth Sawka, CI Foundation, 2008)
Conference and Trade Show Intelligence (with CI Fellow Jonathan Calof, CI Foundation, 2007)
Competitive Intelligence Ethics: Navigating the Gray Zone (with CI Fellow D. Fehringer, CI Foundation, 2006)
Competitor Information System Development (1994)
Bonnie’s stated interest in CI was “All things CI. Over the years, I’ve seen many changes in the CI field, and am constantly searching for anything new or different. I also help people develop articles for the CI Magazine.”
Linkedin profile
CI podcast: Competitive Intelligence Thought Leaders (2015)Remembrances from Competitive Intelligence Fellows:
Bonnie played a huge role in the development of the competitive intelligence field. It’s likely that CI as we know it today would not exist without Bonnie’s contribution.
She was a tireless volunteer, and played a key role in most of the iterations that SCIP and the CI field have gone through during the past three decades. When I got involved in the very early days, Bonnie was already there – serving as the editor of The Intelligencer, the first thin SCIP publication. She later became the de facto curator of the published CI “body of knowledge” such as it was – fast-evolving, far-reaching, and boundary-spanning.
Bonnie and I worked together closely when she was the editor for several SCIP articles and book chapters I had authored. When one works as an author with an editor, one begins to realize there are two basic types of editors – those who find everything more or less OK and are primarily concerned with your meeting your deadline – and those whose commentary is so on point and helpful that they in effect become your interlocutor – a co-creator of the work.
Bonnie was the latter – involved, engaged, principled, and strong. We did not always entirely agree – but in working with Bonnie, I always learned something and produced work that was tangibly better than it would have been without her input. In this way, Bonnie contributed to my work, and to my life – for which I will remain ever mindful and grateful.
We have lost a guiding star. While I will miss her personally, her many contributions to the CI field will live on in the work and support she selflessly and steadfastly gave to her colleagues.
— Tim Powell
“She was such a guiding light in our competitive intelligence practice. She was our historian and she seem to remember everything.”
— Ellen Naylor
“There really isn’t anything else to say other than Bonnie was a wonderful person and good
friend.”— Patrick Bryant
“I remember when she won the Faye Brill award and, having known Faye, thinking that Bonnie was a perfect fit for that award….always upbeat, always positive, always the prolific blogger, on a mission to ensure the success of CI.
I noticed several thoughts about Bonnie on Melanie’s LinkedIn page, and there may be other Fellows who have done something similar. If you could cut and paste them into this email thread, it would be wonderful to share those comments with all of the Fellows.
I first met Bonnie in 1985 when we were working with Jan Herring and the Motorola team. She was never shy. She spoke her mind on almost every possible subject, and I appreciated her perpetual input. She was a true CI evangelist, dedicated to the future.
CI evangelist, dedicated to the future of CI and those choosing it as a profession.
Tireless researcher, blogger, educator, routinely communicating to over 30,000 people.
Prolific Fellows proposal writer, providing about half of all nominations each year.
The energizer bunny editor of CI magazine and other books and articles.
A Faye Brill Award winner, the true embodiment of Faye Brill.
I will really miss Bonnie Hohhof. “
— Kirk Tyson
“The well-chosen words … about Bonnie certainly run true for me. It is difficult to imagine our CI journey together for the past 2 plus decades without Bonnie. In addition to her enormous contributions to the profession, she was for me just simply a great friend – always there to help, knowledgeable, encouraging, happy and a true believer. I can still see her smile and hear her laugh.
Like you all, I do miss her, but also take some comfort in knowing that when her image or some of her work pops into my mind my day always becomes better.”
— Brad Ashton
“I can think of very few individuals in the field of CI who have had such a long and lasting impact as Bonnie. A tireless advocate for the field, she was the field’s leader in terms of developing and executing numerous publications, especially while serving at SCIP. Among other things, she edited the entire “CI Foundation’s Topics in CI Series” led the launch and ongoing delivery of the CI Magazine, and was always willing and able to work with authors to strengthen their contributions. And a lesser known but no less important role for Bonnie was being the primary force for nominating Fellows for the better part of two decades. Bonnie is responsible for the nomination of more Fellows than any other individual of which I am aware, and that was because she cared so much about shepherding the knowledge and knowledge bearers of the CI field. She represented the best of the Fellows and its focus on being Ambassadors, Champions, Mentors and Educators, all roles which Bonnie constantly did with relish and passion. I already miss her and know that her contributions will influence others and myself for decades and years to follow.”
— Craig Fleisher
“Bonnie was truly an inspiration and such an important resource for so many of us. On a lighter note, and with no irreverence intended, a humorous anecdote was her penchant to wear the lengthiest conference name tags at the annual meetings. One year, I collected a bunch of completely random and eclectic add-ons thinking I could out “tag” her, only to be thwarted year after year. We always had a good chuckle comparing tags – size mattered. She will be sorely missed.”
— Fred Wergeles
“I loved working with Bonnie! She was a mentor and an inspiration. She had a sharp tongue and a heart of gold. RIP dear Bonnie!”
— Dale Fehringer
“I first met her when I left government and joined The Futures Group with Jan Herring. That would have been 1994, and Bonnie was working on several projects with us at the time. I immediately recognized a mentor, and was pleased to have my start in CI be so heavily influenced by Bonnie. She will be sorely missed.”
— Ken Sawka
“It was with great sadness when I heard of the repose of Bonnie. Woo all have been very eloquent in your words. All I can say is “Memory Eternal Bonnie!” You will be I. Our hearts and prayers forever.”
— Andre Gib
“Bonnie was all of that and friendly to all! She will be missed.”
— Dan Himelfarb
“Bonnie will be sorely missed by all who knew her. She was the heart and soul of CI and SCIP. And most of all a special friend.”
— Barbara Orr
Friends and colleagues have already expressed their condolences with so kind and warm words that I can only add something in Italian, knowing that Bonnie would understand it: Ciao Bonnie, è stato un piacere conoscerti, lavorare e ridere con te.
Ci mancherai.
Riposa in pace.— Milena Motta
“In addition to being to a high-value-added professional, Bonnie was a warm, personal and interested individual. She loved people and they responded…. I always recall her cheery and professional voice, especially from our phone calls, and her ready laughter. We will all miss her.”
— Mike Hruby
John McGonagle
John J. McGonagle was a noted author and a leading expert in competitive intelligence, with a distinguished career as both a writer and consultant. He resided in Blandon, Pennsylvania, and was married to Carolyn M. Vella, his co-author and business partner. McGonagle was a founding member of the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP), and authored numerous influential books on competitive intelligence, such as "Outsmarting the Competition," "The Manager’s Guide to Competitive Intelligence," and "Competitive Intelligence in the Computer Age," often in collaboration with Vella. He also earned several awards, including the Fellows Award from the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals in 1998.
His work extended to contributions in cat breeding and health, serving as a columnist and award-winning writer for the Cat Writers’ Association. McGonagle’s professional legacy is marked by his thought leadership in strategic business information and ethics in intelligence gathering.
Vernon Prior
Vernon Prior (1932-2011) gained early exposure to intelligence in the military, both in the air and on the ground in the UK Royal Air Force. After leaving military service, he took an early commercial assignment in the UK with a defense contractor, after which he moved to Australia through a variety of government and academic positions where he began writing and publishing directories and tools to assist researchers by enabling them to use a form of Boolean indexing to facilitate their work. In his spare time, he wrote and published a basic textbook for beginners entitled “Smart Company: Finding and Managing Business Intelligence ‘” in 1991. Most of its users operated without a computer at the time.
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After attending a program on CI run by Kirk Tyson, he joined his firm and represented them in the Pacific Rim Region for seven years. Then Vernon struck out on his own creating his firm, Prior Knowledge, to concentrate on training activities. This led to the delivery of seminars and workshops in most Asian countries as well as Australia, New Zealand, Brazil and the UAE. During this time he also prepared a comprehensive glossary to define terms in the intelligence and knowledge management fields called “The Language of Intelligence,” which was ultimately expanded to include some 25,000 words.
Vernon then joined SCIP and with the collaboration of longtime friend and colleague, Babette Bensoussan, founded SCIP Australia in Sydney. His focus continued to be devoted to education offering guidance on identifying information needs, classifying, and indexing, and the communication of intelligence. He also provided his leadership in encouraging creativity and innovation in intelligence work, selecting the right people, and training for the novice.
Over his long 40-year career in intelligence, Vernon served for eight years in the military and 32 years as a civilian and was widely respected in the Australian intelligence community as well as around the world.
Seena Sharp
Seena Sharp was the founder of one of the first competitive intelligence firms in the United States and was widely respected for her pragmatic, strategic, and insightful perspective. She authored two books, including Competitive Intelligence Advantage: How to Minimize Risk, Avoid Surprises, and Grow Your Business in a Changing World.
A recognized leader in the field, Seena established Sharp Market Intelligence in Los Angeles in 1979. Under her leadership, the firm served clients across the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Before founding the company, she built a successful corporate career in New York City and earned her master’s degree in mathematics. Her research, keynotes, and workshops explored a wide range of competitive and market intelligence topics, including market drivers, emerging competitors, unknown customers, external factors, and strategic opportunities.
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Seena was frequently invited to share her expertise on radio shows and podcasts. Her work appeared in the premier issue of Peter Drucker’s Leader to Leader newsletter and was featured in Bloomberg Business, The Los Angeles Times, Nation’s Business, Inc., Marketing News, Director’s Monthly, the Dallas Morning News, and the California Business Review. She also contributed bylined articles to numerous publications, including the Journal of Business Strategy, Boardroom Reports, Chief Information Officer, Competitive Intelligence, Marketing News, Virtual Strategist, Mindshift Matters, PR Reporter, and World Trade.
Her passion for the profession and her lasting contributions were recognized in 2006 when she was named a Fellow of Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals (SCIP). In 2011, she was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Association for Strategic Planning (ASP).
Competitive Intelligence Industry Influencers
Carolyn Vella
Carolyn (1948-2022) trained and worked as a psychiatric R.N. in Washington, DC, while taking philosophy courses. After her marriage, she created The Helicon Group, a global competitive intelligence, research, analysis, and training firm. While Founding Partner, she co-authored 10 books on competitive intelligence, including Outsmarting the Competition: Practical Approaches to Finding and Using Competitive Information (1990).
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Carolyn was the keynote speaker at the first meeting of the Society of Competitive Intelligence Professionals. She also co-founded SCIP’s Women’s Leadership Council. Before her retirement, she was presented with SCIP’s highest award, the Meritorious Award.
In her private life, she worked extensively with cats, where she showed and bred Japanese Bobtail cats. She also judged pedigreed and household pet cats in the US, Canada, and Russia.
She shared her knowledge by serving as the lead author on 6 books on cat related subjects, including In the Spotlight: A Guide to Showing Pedigreed and Household Pet Cats (1990) and Robinson’s Genetics for Cat Breeders and Veterinarians (4th Edition 1999). Carolyn won numerous awards from the Cat Writers Association.
Gary Lim
Gary Lim was a major influencer for decades in the global CI marketplace. He was among the globe’s leaders in helping Western companies develop their businesses in Asian markets. Services he and his colleagues provided included cross-cultural and business coaching, market studies, market entry strategy, marketing strategy, marketing intelligence, search for distributors and business partners, training, and more. He was a very experienced marketer in China and Southeast Asia. His expertise was drawn upon by the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), an association he took much pride in.
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A frequent speaker on the competitive and marketing intelligence circuit, Gary also wrote numerous articles about applying intelligence to various audiences. Here is an example of his writing in a key article he wrote about conducting market research and CI in China from 2006 (https://www.redalyc.org/pdf/548/54852002.pdf).
He held an MBA from Syracuse University and Bachelor of Engineering, International Marketing from the University of Singapore. Gary spoke 5 languages (Chinese, English, Malay, Indonesian, and Japanese). He served as President of Gary Lim Consultancy from January 1993 until his passing.
Neil J. Simon
Neil J. Simon was a competitive intelligence expert (CI) and President of Business Development Group, Inc. in Ann Arbor, Michigan, specializing in organizational design and change management. He authored Navigating in a Sea of Change and has written extensively on the impact of organizational culture on CI, focusing on integrating people, technology, and work systems to improve strategic decision-making.
Key Aspects of Neil Simon's Work in Competitive Intelligence:
Organizational Culture & CI: Simon emphasized that successful CI requires aligning with corporate culture, particularly regarding how information is valued, shared, and used. He noted that CI often acts as a formalization of already acceptable practices.
Change Management: He focused on transforming organizations to better handle information by developing internal support structures, such as information collection systems and analytical tools.
Overcoming Barriers: Simon identified key hurdles to effective CI, including poor, unreliable, or irrelevant information, as well as the difficulty in building trust in an environment where employee loyalty may be divided.
Author and Speaker: He co-authored Navigating in a Sea of Change (SCIP Publications) and has published articles on CI in the Competitive Intelligence Review.
His work often focused on practical steps to establish or improve CI units, such as conducting an "Organizational Landscape Analysis" to align CI with the organization's structure.
Neil was also dedicated and passionate about Judo, having his own studio. Neil was a past president of the United States Judo Federation through which he helped guide the development of the sport in the US