First Research Executive Team

Bobby Martin
President and Co-Founder
As the President of First Research, Bobby Martin has forged a unique role as an Industry Intelligence expert, overseeing customer relations, strategic alliances, product improvement and industry research. Before founding First Research with Ingo Winzer in 1998, Martin spent more than six years with Bank of America managing a large commercial banking pool of customers in Wilmington, North Carolina. Through banking, Martin learned the importance of understanding his customers' business strategy and industry. Martin graduated Magna cum Laude, earning his Economics and Banking degree from Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina, and he is proud to serve as Vice Chairman for the Center for Entrepreneurship at the university. Martin lives with his wife and daughter in Raleigh, North Carolina, where he is an active volunteer with Urban Ministries. In 2005, Bobby also co-founded On The Fly, a non-profit organization whose mission is to facilitate company-sponsored volunteer efforts in a manner that advocates achieving a balance between work, family and community service.

Ingo Winzer
Executive Vice President, Research and Co-Founder
Ingo Winzer, Executive Vice President of Research, brings over two decades of industry research expertise to First Research. Drawing on first-hand experience in the chemicals, consumer products, investment, insurance and real estate industries, Winzer co-founded First Research with Bobby Martin in 1998. Currently responsible for producing industry research and for maintaining the high quality of the reports that First Research provides to its customers, he has been conducting strategic company and industry research for more than 20 years. His views on business matters are often quoted in the national press. He is a graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and holds an M.B.A. in finance from Boston University. Winzer lives in Wellesley, Massachusetts, where he is raising two teenaged children.

David Buffaloe
Vice President, Marketing
David Buffaloe brings more than 10 years of marketing experience to First Research, where, as Vice President of Marketing, he oversees the development and implementation of the company's marketing strategy. Buffaloe joined the First Research team in January 2005 and he now manages all aspects of marketing including advertising, campaigns, public relations, collateral, tradeshows and corporate branding. Prior to First Research, Buffaloe helped generate substantial brand equity and marketing successes as the Director of Marketing Communications with DataFlux Corporation (A SAS Company) and Marketing Communications Manager with BuildNet, Inc. Buffaloe holds degrees in Marketing and Business Administration from North Carolina State University. He lives in Raleigh with his wife and two children, and is an active volunteer with Hospice of Wake County.

Wil Brawley
Senior Vice President, Financial Services
As Senior Vice President, Wil Brawley is responsible, along with Lee Demby, for overseeing business development, customer relationship management and strategic alliances within First Research’s Financial Services Segment. Prior to joining First Research in March, 2000, Brawley spent his career at Bank of America, where he served in both the retail and commercial banking segments. Today he is dedicated to helping First Research customers focus on the critical aspects of their clients' businesses by using effective pre-call planning to their advantage. Brawley is a graduate of Davidson College in Davidson, N.C. with a BA in History. He lives with his wife and daughter in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he is actively involved in his church and a board member for both the South Tryon Community Development Corporation and Camp TreeTops.

B. Lee Demby
Senior Vice President, Financial Services
As Senior Vice President, Lee Demby is responsible, along with Wil Brawley, for overseeing business development, customer relationship management and strategic alliances within First Research’s Financial Services Segment. In this role, Lee helps large financial service companies leverage First Research's unique industry intelligence to empower their consultative selling models. Before joining First Research in April of 2002, Demby was a middle market commercial banker for NationsBank and then Bank of America. Demby received both a BS in Health Care Management and MBA in Finance from the Walker College of Business at Appalachian State University. He lives with his wife and son in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they enjoy spending free time with family and friends.

Weston Aiken
Vice President, Technology
As Vice President of Technology, Weston Aiken oversees First Research's technology strategy with a focus on new product development and the integration of First Research products into CRM and SFA systems. Prior to joining First Research in June 2006, Weston designed and delivered web applications and systems integration solutions for clients including Duke University, AIG and the US Postal Service. Weston earned his MIS degree from the Cameron School of Business at UNCW and also holds technical certifications from SUN Microsystems and IBM. When Weston is not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife of 6 years and, of course, writing software.

Bill Walker
Vice President, Research
As Vice President of Research, Bill Walker is responsible for managing the development and updating of the company’s Industry Intelligence Tools. He brings over 25 years of experience in technology companies to this role. Walker previously led an industry marketing team at Hewlett-Packard and has also led product management and product development teams for a variety of software businesses. He earned a masters degree in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A from Stanford University. Walker lives in Raleigh with his family and serves as a volunteer tutor for Community Hope and an elder with his church.