The Memorial Wall

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