i've only started at 2.44 and shifted to 2.45 recently, just to give you background.  it's built-in importer is  the only one i'm familiar with.  i do have the Outliner window open, and I seem to have materials but not groups.

there are options to make Blender objects on import out of objects, groups and materials, but none seem to work.   i decided to try and determine if it was the Poser export options by importing Posette's source obj.  i'm assuming meshes in the Geometries folder should have all their proper groups?  i'm sure i'm just missing something.