Matthew Ceryanec
Waukee
Summary
Insight-driven research professional with over a decade of experience distilling oceans of data into clear, compelling narratives that uncover the real, human stories behind the numbers. Dually experienced with deep expertise on both the client and agency side of research, bringing a well-rounded understanding of stakeholder needs, timelines, and priorities from both perspectives.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Director
Greenwald Research
Washington, D.C.
03.2022 - 07.2025
- Designed, directed, and executed end-to-end research engagements for Fortune 100 clients in the health, financial services, retirement, and employee benefit industries. Collaborated closely with clients, often acting as an extension of their own research team by immersing in their business to deeply understand organizational goals and individual stakeholder roles
- Provided industry-leading services at all stages of the project lifecycle based on each client’s distinct needs, with most requiring support in all of the following areas: sample recruitment and management, research design, questionnaire and interview guide development, data analysis, and comprehensive reporting
- Led cross-functional teams of researchers, analysts, technical experts, and third-party vendors to execute rigorous, high-quality research grounded in statistical and data integrity
- Managed and worked on high-impact research initiatives that drove new advertising campaigns, product launches, rebranding strategies, and study insights featured by major national news outlets
- Expertly utilized a vast array of study types to conduct research and gather insights, including but not limited to: brand tracking, communications testing, price testing, product development, thought leadership, and usability testing
- Delivered results that went beyond standard research reporting by crafting compelling narratives, highlighting key themes, and providing tactical insights that helped clients understand the "why" behind the numbers
Sr Research Analyst
Principal Financial Group Inc
Des Moines
02.2019 - 03.2022
- Designed and executed custom primary research studies across audiences of financial advisors, small and large businesses, and individual consumers, utilizing Qualtrics and SPSS to create, analyze, interpret, and distribute research results
- Managed research panels of both individual and employer Principal customers who regularly participate in surveys, interviews, focus groups, and other research activities to provide valuable customer insights to key internal stakeholders
- Worked on Principal’s global customer experience and brand tracking survey, analyzing and reporting on results to help drive and support customer understanding initiatives
- Built strong cross-functional relationships with internal partners and stakeholders, especially in sales, marketing, and digital experience, consistently collaborating to understand both organizational priorities and anticipate specific short-term and long-term research needs
- Helped identify and educate fellow researchers on research best practices, new potential vendors, and emerging technologies/methodologies
- Managed an internal research community of Principal employees, meant to serve as a quick and efficient resource for answering research questions, testing prototypes and new ideas, and acting as an additional resource for primary research initiatives
Market Research Analyst
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Des Moines
12.2014 - 02.2019
- Conducted both primary and secondary research involving needs assessment with research stakeholders, conceptualization of research, development and design, analysis, and reporting including formulation of strategic recommendations
- Led the customer touchpoint feedback initiative, utilizing quantitative research to understand and track experience across key customer brand interactions
- Designed, launched, and managed a digital customer experience feedback and tracking program, utilizing robust dashboard reporting to broadcast results across the organization
- Developed a novel taxonomy for a large set of open-ended responses from Wellmark’s member relationship study to bring richer insights to the study results, using text analytics and stakeholder feedback to inform the development
- Conducted internal research on Wellmark employees regarding satisfaction with the company, workplace conduct, ethics & compliance, and other topics
- Responsible for ad hoc research requests received from other areas of the business, including but not limited to: competitor deep-dives, market analysis, product research, and market news synthesis
Market Research Intern
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
Des Moines
05.2014 - 12.2014
- Developed key, foundational quantitative market research skills by assisting with questionnaire development, data analysis, research fielding, and reporting and presenting results to internal stakeholders
- Also developed qualitative market research skills by developing moderator guides, managing recruitment efforts for qualitative research, and writing in-depth interview and focus group reports
- Furthered SPSS proficiency by conducting in-depth analysis of Wellmark’s member relationship study data
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Economics
University of Iowa
Iowa City, IA05-2014
Skills
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Research Design
Reporting and Presentation
Sample Management and Procurement
Dashboards and Data Visualization
Trend Analysis
Competitive Intelligence
Sentiment and Text Analytics
Regression Analysis
Segmentation Analysis
A/B Testing
White Paper Development
Interview and Focus Group Moderation
Qualtrics
SPSS
Timeline
Director
Greenwald Research
03.2022 - 07.2025
Sr Research Analyst
Principal Financial Group Inc
02.2019 - 03.2022
Market Research Analyst
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
12.2014 - 02.2019
Market Research Intern
Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield
05.2014 - 12.2014
Bachelor of Arts - Economics
University of Iowa
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