DMA International Council Honors James Thornton and Daniel Rutenberg at 2007 International Day

June 19, 2007 — The Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) International Council yesterday presented James Thornton, managing director of Mailing Lists Asia (MLA), with its Lifetime Achievement Award, and Daniel Rutenberg, director of marketing for International Airline Passengers Association (IAPA), with its International Direct Marketer of the Year Award.

This year’s honors were presented at an awards luncheon during the DMA International Council’s 2007 International Day, which was yesterday at the Harvard Club in New York City.

Lifetime Achievement Award: James Thornton

The DMA International Council presents its annual Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of “a direct marketer who has made sustained and substantial lifetime contributions to the growth and development of international direct marketing.”

This year, the council honored James Thornton, who is the managing director of Mailing Lists Asia (MLA) (http://mlaresponse.com), which was founded in Hong Kong in 1983 as the first international list brokerage based in Asia. While list specialization remains a core component of the company’s services, it also outsources direct mail printing, laser addressing, and lettershopping from carefully chosen suppliers in Manila, India, Shenzhen (China), and Bangkok.

Before entering international direct marketing, Thornton was engaged in periodical publishing. He owned a UK-controlled circulation tabloid called “Export Times,” which he launched in 1969. He launched “Business Traveller” in 1976 out of Export Times’ cash flow. In 1981, he went to Asia to launch an Asia-Pacific edition of “Business Traveller,” which achieved a paid circulation of 18,000 within three issues.

Always fascinated by the challenges of direct mail and circulation building, in 1983 Thornton sold his publishing interests in order to stay in Asia to pursue regional and international direct marketing. At that time, there was no international list brokerage in Asia, so he established MLA, which he still owns. MLA has local offices in Hong Kong, Philippines, and India.

Over the years, Thornton has contributed generously to the global direct marketing community, including many years of service with the DMA International Advisory Board and the DMA International Council. In addition, he has given presentations at direct marketing and postal conferences around the world. He also has been a contributor to most of the leading direct marketing trade publications and currently writes a newsletter “DM Diary.”

International Direct Marketer of the Year: Daniel Rutenberg

The DMA International Council presents its annual International Direct Marketer of the Year Award in recognition of an individual “whose contributions stand out or who has materially contributed to the growth and success of an area of international direct marketing.”

This year, the council presented this honor to Daniel Rutenberg, director of marketing for International Airline Passengers Association (IAPA) (www.iapa.com), which is a membership organization with more than 45 years of experience in the travel industry in providing the very best products and services to frequent travelers.

Rutenberg joined IAPA in 1991 and he is directly responsible for all marketing activities in the Americas. Over the years, he has developed and enhanced direct marketing operations for IAPA in the region. He also developed and was responsible for the association’s Membership Service Department for the Western Hemisphere. His involvement in both marketing and customer service has allowed him to implement loyalty programs for the IAPA.

Rutenberg has been a regular speaker on Latin America, the Caribbean, and international issues at several direct marketing conferences. Rutenberg was born in Caracas, Venezuela where he obtained his B.A. in Business Administration; he obtained his MBA in the US in 1989.

DMA’s 2007 International Day was sponsored by Data Services, Inc. (platinum sponsor); Brokers Worldwide and Global-Z (silver sponsors); Direct Media International, A Division of Direct Media, Inc. and Mardev (bronze sponsors); and 1to1 Magazine and Latin eVision (media sponsors).

About DMA International Council

The DMA International Council’s goal is to educate, empower, and provide networking opportunities for business, consumer, and nonprofit direct marketers, using direct marketing channels in global and international markets. Its vision is to become the leading forum for international direct marketers everywhere.

For information about the council, visit http://www.the-dma.org/councils/internationalcouncil or contact Kelli Hornachek at khornachek@the-dma.org.

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