DMA Appoints Tom Shimko as SVP & CMO; Lee Shufro as VP, Sales

August 10, 2009 — The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) today announced Tom Shimko has joined DMA as senior vice president and chief marketing officer and Lee Shufro has come on board as vice president of sales. Shimko and Shufro are both based in DMA’s New York headquarters, and will report to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Ramesh Ratan.

“Tom joins us with more than 25 years of global marketing experience in business management, marketing, and strategy,” said DMA President and CEO John Greco. “He has extensive experience linking services that provide high value to companies and a strong focus on the customer.

“Lee brings to DMA an extensive background in sales and client management with a proven track record of success as DMA continues its strong commitment to serving members in every capacity,” continued Greco. “Having Tom and Lee on board complements DMA’s leadership role within the direct marketing community.”

Tom Shimko will be responsible for the full range of marketing aspects, from analysis and strategy to tactical product, service promotion and sales support. He will lead the development and implementation of DMA’s marketing strategy across all DMA services and products including membership, conferences, segment events, education services, and research publications. In this role, Shimko will work closely with DMA leadership and partner with each of the product/service line managers and function managers to develop and manage DMA’s marketing budgets and results throughout all product lines and functions. He will also develop and maintain outside relationships with agencies and marketing services suppliers, as needed.

Most recently, Shimko was vice president, strategic marketing for GE Capital’s equipment financial services business, where he led the strategic planning and customer experience areas. Prior to that role, he was chief marketing officer for Danbury Health Systems where he led marketing and planning for the $400 million healthcare provider. In addition, he served as senior vice president, worldwide customer loyalty and retention at the American International Group, Inc. (AIG), where he led the development of customer retention and growth strategies across all of AIG’s consumer and commercial businesses.

Shimko has also served as senior managing partner for Peppers and Rogers Group, Inc., where he created, organized, and managed the consulting division, leading a team of strategists and tactical experts that helped organizations develop successful customer relationship management practices, as well as senior vice president and global managing director at Opinion Research Corporation, where he led consulting and research initiatives. He has held a variety of senior marketing positions, including vice president of marketing for Pitney Bowes’ Mailing Systems Division. He holds an MBA from the University of Bridgeport and a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Connecticut.

Lee Shufro will be responsible for creating an integrated DMA sales center of excellence and supporting sales specialists across membership (both corporate and individual); in-house, onsite and virtual seminars and e-learning educational offerings including certification programs; conferences and events, including exhibits and sponsorships; and research/publications. He will also be tasked with developing DMA’s existing staff and growing a high performing sales team to support the Association’s growth goals. Shufro will lead the process of bundling products and services into offers which will meet the critical needs of members and customers, as well as develop and manage an independent commissioned sales agent network within the US and globally.

Most recently, Shufro was vice president of every day spend in the establishment services division of American Express. There, he oversaw the company's key strategic relationships with its largest US retail merchants in the Mass Merchant, Supermarket, Drug Store and Oil/Gas industries. In addition to cultivating and deepening American Express merchant relationships with these strategic accounts, he also managed key retail association partnerships with organizations such as the National Association of Convenience Stores and SIGMA.

Prior to that role, Shufro gained significant sales leadership experience serving as vice president of American Express’s US International Payments (IP) business. IP provides corporate foreign exchange services to businesses and financial institutions. In that role, he managed a multi-billion transactional portfolio with thousands of clients; helped grow the organization from 5 to 40 employees; increased revenue over 360 percent; and significantly improved employee satisfaction. Before American Express, he was director of sales with Cendant Corporation, now Trilegiant. He began his career with Cendant at Entertainment Publications as an account executive. Shufro holds an MBA from Cornell’s Johnson School of Management and a BA in political science from the University of Michigan.

About Direct Marketing Association (DMA)

The Direct Marketing Association (www.the-dma.org) is the leading global trade association of businesses and nonprofit organizations using and supporting multichannel direct marketing tools and techniques. DMA advocates standards for responsible marketing, promotes relevance as the key to reaching consumers with desirable offers, and provides cutting-edge research, education, and networking opportunities to improve results throughout the end-to-end direct marketing process. Founded in 1917, DMA today represents more than 3,400 companies from dozens of vertical industries in the US and 48 other nations, including half of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as nonprofit organizations.

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