DMEF Honors David W. Florence and The Martin Agency at Annual Awards Dinner in San Francisco

October 15, 2006 — The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) last evening honored David W. Florence, founder and chairman of Direct Media, Inc., with the DMEF Edward N. Mayer Educational Leadership Award, and The Martin Agency with the DMEF Corporate Award. Both awards were presented at the DMEF’s 29th Annual Awards Dinner, which was held in San Francisco during DMA06, the Direct Marketing Association’s 2006 Annual Conference that is being held October 14-19.

2006 DMEF Edward N. Mayer Educational Leadership Award Recipient:

David W. Florence

David W. Florence is the founder and chairman of Direct Media, Inc., a leading mailing list and alternative media broker and manager headquartered in Greenwich, CT. Under his leadership, Direct Media has been a key DMEF supporter, and Florence himself has personally and generously supported DMEF for many years.

Throughout his career, Florence has made significant contributions to the advancement of direct marketing education. Through his personal support, unique perspective, and the wealth of knowledge he has shared, he has helped direct marketing education and the DMEF to expand.

Florence has served on the DMEF Board of Trustees and DMA Board of Directors. He also served as director of the Association for Postal Commerce (PostCom) (formerly the Advertising Mail Marketing Association).

Florence has received many awards and honors over the years, including the Direct Marketing Club of New York's Silver Apple Award in 1987, the DMA List Leader of the Year Award in 1993, the DMA Insert Media council's "Legend" Award in 1997, and the Direct Marketing Club of New York's Mal Dunn Leadership Award in 1998. In 2004, he was elected to the DMA Direct Marketing Hall of Fame.

DMEF presents the Ed Mayer Award annually to the direct marketer who has helped advance college and university-level direct marketing education. Named in honor of Ed Mayer, who influenced, inspired, and taught many direct marketers, this award honors an industry leader who, like Mayer, has supported direct/interactive marketing education.

Contributions of personal commitment, personal or corporate financial assistance, creation of effective programs, concepts, teaching methods or teaching materials, instruction of college students or professors, or any other contribution in which an individual has effectively assisted or promoted the objectives of Direct Marketing Educational Foundation are among the criteria for receiving this mark of distinction. Nominations are submitted by peers and reviewed by DMEF's Board of Trustees, which selects the winner.

Past recipients include Dick and Mary Cabela, Katie Muldoon, Stephen Polk, Marcus Wilhelm, and David Shepard.

2006 DMEF Corporate Leadership Award Recipient:

The Martin Agency

The Martin Agency has been a stalwart supporter of direct marketing education for many years. Since 1988, the company, in partnership with DMEF, has hosted an annual agency seminar at its Richmond, VA headquarters. For the first several years of its operation, the program focused on college undergraduate students. Now, in an effort to reach even more students, they have turned their attention to professors. The seminar, which uses client examples, offers professors exciting best practices to use in the classroom.

Twice a year, The Martin Agency sponsors The Student Workshop in which fifteen students participate in an agency presentation and client project over a 10-day period, creating a fully integrated advertising campaign. The agency also participates in Virginia Commonwealth University's Ad Center, as well as hosting interns and donating scholarships annually.

The DMEF Corporate Leadership Award honors a corporation that has made significant contributions to direct and interactive marketing. The Award also recognizes corporations that offer their own employees multiple opportunities for personal and professional improvement and are dedicated to diversity, inclusion, and continuing education.

Past recipients include AXCIOM, America Online, Kraft, Experian, Allstate Insurance Company, and R.R. Donnelley.

About Direct Marketing Educational Foundation

The DMEF (www.the-dmef.org) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation supported entirely by tax-deductible contributions from business leaders and direct marketing companies. Solely committed to fostering and enhancing direct marketing courses and curricula on college campuses and graduate business schools across America, DMEF provides a range of results-driven educational programs in direct and interactive marketing, helps students discover exciting career opportunities, and disseminates information about the economic value of the direct marketing field. The Foundation also provides teaching and research resources to educators.

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