Nielsen, a leading global provider of information and insights into what consumers watch and buy, welcomed more than 400 of Chicago’s business, media, government and community leaders to last night’s celebration of the Company’s 90^th anniversary at the River East Art Center. Among those in attendance were Congressman Danny Davis; City Clerk Susana Mendoza; Susan Whiting, vice chair, Nielsen; John Lewis, president, Americas, Nielsen.

The event featured multicultural and Chicago-style cuisine, accompanied by entertainment by some of Chicago’s favorites including: improvisation by The Second City, Salsa Dancing by Latin Street Dancing Inc., the Chinese Dragon Dancers from Chicago’s century-old Chinatown, and a special rendition of “Chicago” performed by The Gentlemen of Leisure Orchestra. Official proclamations from Congressman Danny Davis, Gov. Pat Quinn and Mayor Rahm Emanuel were read, and Mayor Emanuel’s proclamation officially designated Saturday, August 24, 2013, as “Nielsen Day” in Chicago. Personalized memorabilia from local professional sports teams – including the Chicago Blackhawks, Bulls, Cubs and White Sox – were also presented to Arthur C. Nielsen, III and his family.

“The many associates, clients and friends of Nielsen, worldwide, celebrate 90 years of this Company,” said Susan Whiting, vice chair, Nielsen. “It’s important that we commemorate this momentous occasion here in Chicago, in the city where it all began with our founder, Arthur C. Nielsen, Sr.,” she added. “And though the Company has grown and changed – and our work has evolved – the importance we place on his guiding principles of fairness, accuracy and integrity has not.”

Arthur C. Nielsen, Sr., founded Nielsen on August 24, 1923 in Chicago, with a new approach to measuring competitive sales that led to the concept of “market share.” Nielsen was the first company to offer market research (1927), the first to measure food sales (1934), the first to use a computer for measurement (1954), with many more innovations that continue today. Today, there are nearly 2,000 employees in Nielsen offices in Chicago and Schaumburg, Illinois, and approximately 35,000 employees worldwide. Globally, the company has a presence in approximately 100 countries. Nielsen captures and analyzes real-life conversation online across 235 of the most popular U.S. television channels, measures 400 billion retail product transactions a year in 600,000 stores globally and follows the activity of more than 50,000 online panelists worldwide.