· Highlights October - December - Annual Awards Dinner breaks records, D/IM Research Summit, College Days, Best Dissertation Award Announced, 2008 Board of Trustees Introduced, Student Career Forum, Thank you! - read more

As a nonprofit organization, we’re often asking you for donations to help us further our mission.  As we kick off the New Year, we’d like to take this special opportunity to say thank you for your support!  Through your contributions –  financial, program-related, in-kind, and general goodwill – we have significantly raised the bar for everything we do here at the DMEF.  Click here for a list of 2007 DMEF Donors.

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JANUARY

• Board of Trustees
  We welcome the Board of Trustees, a healthy group of 44 individuals – chaired by Al Dyon - committed to setting a new level of excellence for the DMEF. (See list of 2007 Board of Trustees who kicked off the year.)

• Professors' Seminar
  In partnership with the DMAW/EF, Washington, DC’s regional Educational Foundation, we offer the Direct/Interactive Marketing Seminar for Professors – with more than 20 professors giving us rave reviews for the event’s presenters, all seasoned practitioners in areas such as Search Engine Optimization, Database Marketing, and Multi-Cultural Direct Marketing.

• Graduate Seminar
  
  A group of 30 master’s degree candidates from across the nation convene in New York City to participate in the Direct / Interactive Marketing Seminar for Graduate Students, an intensive seminar in direct/ interactive marketing conducted by the DMEF. The program is a project of the Lee Epstein Fund, a direct marketing educational scholarship named for Lee Epstein. The seminar’s curriculum focuses on cutting-edge direct / interactive marketing techniques and media used successfully by both traditional and non-traditional marketers.

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• Leaders' Circle

The DMEF introduces the Leaders’ Circle – a giving program allowing individuals throughout the direct marketing community to donate personally to support the efforts of the Foundation. Lapel pins – DMEF 2007 – identify individuals who contribute in this significant way. Click here to see who is supporting the DMEF through a personal donation.

To get your DMEF 2008 pin, just fill out the attached form and return it as soon as possible.  And, then wear your pen proudly throughout the year to demonstrate your personal support of the DMEF.

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• Curriculum Modules

In order to provide great content to professors who seek to bring the excitement of direct marketing to the classroom, curriculum modules have been developed for use by college faculty.   In April 2007, DMEF begins finalizing work on expanded, new curriculum modules.  Titled Elements of Direct / Interactive Marketing (an update of our  basic direct marketing course), Privacy (a 3-lecture supplement to Elements), and Creative (a module developed in conjunction with Draftfcb) the modules are slated to roll out in the first quarter of ’08.

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• Collegiate ECHO Program

It’s not everyday that students have an opportunity to work on a real-life direct marketing challenge … until now.  A whole new program challenge is created by the DMEF and Litle & Co. as part of the 2007 Collegiate ECHO Awards Competition, with more than 65 teams participating in the direct marketing awards program.  Winners of the 2007 competition are:

• Gold (1st place)/ Undergraduate: Christopher Newport University
• Gold (1st place)/ Graduate: Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College
• Silver (2nd place)/ Undergraduate: University of Northern Colorado
• Silver (2nd place)/ Graduate: Loyola University — Chicago
• Bronze (3rd Place)/ Undergraduate: Ithaca College
• Bronze (3rd Place)/ Graduate: Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College

"As the challenge unfolded," said Litle & Co. Chief Marketing Officer Chris Long, "we were able to present our real-life marketing issues to individuals who are likely to be the true leaders of the direct marketing world of tomorrow — the undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty at some of the country’s finest colleges and universities. The creative solutions offered by these students far exceeded our expectations, providing outstanding, insightful, and creative approaches that we will definitely implement in our upcoming campaigns." 

“We at the DMEF are very excited at the level established by this year’s program, and are thrilled to announce a new cash award to accompany the Awards Competition totaling $16,000 ... thanks to the generosity of Litle & Co.,” said Terri L. Bartlett, president of the DMEF.  Because of this new addition to the awards program, Litle & Co. has generously agreed to match this cash award for the 2007-2008 program, which is being sponsored by Pitney-Bowes.  Student teams will be submitting their projects, and winners will be announced by mid-June. 

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• Rising Stars Awards Dinner

The new theme – Rising Stars Awards – is introduced during this annual dinner in New York City.  In an effort to generate awareness and acknowledge the wealth of talent present in the direct / interactive marketing community, the DMEF launches this new program to honor  leaders – age 40 and under – as well as a corporate citizen who consistently demonstrates a commitment to excellence in all areas of direct marketing education among new and upcoming talent.  It's no surprise that Time Consumer Marketing, Inc., a division of Time, Inc. becomes our first corporate honoree. 

In another first, four individuals who demonstrate strong corporate leadership and a track record of positive results are also honored.  We are privileged to have named the following group of individuals to our first Rising Stars Awards category: 

Winner                                               Company

Austin Bliss                                      FreshAddress, Inc.

Kimberly Miller                                 Time Consumer Marketing /
                                                           Real Simple and InStyle

William Misloski                              Orbitz

Daniel Parzych                                Alliant

 

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• Direct Marketing Leadership Development Program

A groundbreaking new program – the Direct Marketing Leadership Development Program – is announced, and it sets a new precedent for the DMEF.  The program offers four college graduates a rich, on-the-job opportunity to translate their classroom knowledge into real-world experience, all while learning the latest advancements in multichannel direct marketing.

The program kicks off on July 16, 2007 with residents rotating three-month positions among the four sponsoring companies, including Goodman&Company, Harte-Hanks, Inc., Scholastic, and Wunderman. 

“Nothing epitomizes the vision and potential of the DMEF like the Leadership Development Program,” said Terri L. Bartlett, president of the DMEF.  “Every time I speak to those involved with this program – whether it’s the corporate sponsors or the associates – I am certain of the success and future potential of this program, to enable us to bring the brightest and most promising leaders to the direct / interactive marketing field.”  The inaugural associates of this program include: 

• Nicole Lombardo of Englishtown, NJ, who earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and international business from Villanova University
  
• Andrea Derricks of Mechanicsburg, PA, who obtained a bachelor’s degree in American studies at Columbia University
  
• Kelly Lewis of Warrenton, VA, who double-majored in English and Spanish at the University of Virginia
  
• Francisco Alberini of Los Angeles, CA, who double-majored in marketing and international business at NYU Stern, New York University
  

l-r: Nicole Lombardo, Andrea Derricks, Markus Wilhelm (immediate Past Chair, DMA),
Terri L. Bartlett (DMEF President), Peg Kuman (member DMEF Board Executive Committee), Kelly Lewis,
and Francisco Alberini gathered at the DMEF's 2007 Annual Awards Dinner in Chicago.

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AUGUST

• Don Kuhn Fund for Research and Scholarship Launches

The DMEF’s Don Kuhn Fund for Research and Scholarship presents its first scholarship to Gabriela Urvina, an NYU graduate student who began NYU’s Direct and Interactive Marketing Program in the 2007 Fall semester.  The scholarship is announced during the DMA Nonprofit Federation’s 2007 New York Nonprofit Conference.  Urvina demonstrated her commitment to pursue a career in nonprofit direct/interactive marketing through her work at Heifer International, which assists people in rural cultures with developing economic independence. 

In addition, the first research commissioned through the Don Kuhn Fund is unveiled at the Conference, examining the indirect effects of mail frequency in fundraising programs.  The study was conducted by Edward Malthouse, PhD, associate professor of Integrated Marketing Communications at The Medill School, Northwestern University. Those interested in receiving an executive summary of the research – with helpful information to support practical use of these findings – should contact the DMEF, by sending an email to:  dmef@the-dma.org – subject line:  “Don Kuhn Fund Research Request”.
 
Research and education were a passion for Don Kuhn, the renowned direct-response fundraising pioneer; the award commemorates his contributions to the practice of charitable fundraising and his unwavering commitment to the philanthropic sector.  The generous donations that Don’s friends and colleagues — many of whom he had mentored — have made to this fund will go a long way in generating substantive research and scholarship funds to support the nonprofit community. Click here for a list of Don Kuhn Fund Donors.

Exciting new program activities related to this Fund will be announced in early 2008. 

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SEPTEMBER

• Philadelphia Direct / Interactive Marketing Symposium

Since its inception in 2004, the Philadelphia Direct / Interactive Marketing Symposium has focused on providing college and university professors a forum for receiving and sharing the latest in direct / interactive marketing education with both their colleagues and leading practitioners in the field.  The 2007 symposium focuses on encouraging professors to prepare their students to be effective, accountable marketers.  The presentations demonstrate best practices in building accountability and ROI into existing marketing curricula through the principles of direct marketing.  “The DMEF is proud to be a co-sponsor of this event, which not only provides a platform for professors and practitioners to have meaningful exchanges on current topics in the field, but also supports students who benefit from the information that is brought back into the classroom,” said Marie Adolphe, vice president of programming.

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OCTOBER

• Annual Awards Dinner Breaks All Records

More than 350 direct marketing professionals and academics gather on Saturday evening, October 13 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago to raise more than $500,000 for direct/interactive marketing education at the university level.  Each year, the DMEF Annual Awards Dinner and Auction for Education celebrates the growth of multichannel direct marketing, honors excellence, and helps grow cutting-edge direct/interactive marketing education at the college and university level in the US.  At the gala event, the Foundation honors Tim Litle, chairman and founder of Litle & Co., with its 2007 Edward N. Mayer Educational Leadership Award, and Draftfcb with its 2007 Corporate Leadership Award. 


l-r: Al Dyon (DMEF Chair) hands Edward N. Mayer Award to Tim Litle. Howard Draft receives DMEF's Corporate Leadership Award for Draftfcb from John Greco, DMA President & CEO. Dinner guests enjoy a friendly bidding competition in the Scholarship Auction and the Live Auction for Education.

• D/IM Research Summit

The Direct / Interactive Marketing Research Summit (formerly Educators’ Conference) takes a new direction by showcasing invited top level researchers in the field of
direct / interactive marketing.  With more than 70 in attendance, the event also includes the Outstanding Educator Award, presented to Dr. Peter Fader, The Wharton School.  Competitive papers are presented and practitioner-speakers in attendance comment on them: Roy Wollen, Database Marketing Consulting; Cyndi Greenglass, Diamond Marketing Solutions; Ron Jacobs, Jacobs & Clevenger; Don Hinman, The Allant Group; Dan Parzych, Alliant;  and George Orme, David Shepard Associates provide the seasoned direct marketer’s point of view.  Sid Liebenson, Draftfcb, unveils case studies from such companies as Oxfam that are marketing successfully to Generation Y audiences worldwide.  The Summit begins with a Case Writers’ Workshop co-sponsored by DMEF and the regional direct marketing club, the Chicago Association of Direct Marketing Educational Foundation.  Looking ahead to 2008, in addition to offering top quality research, the Summit will provide professors who teach marketing, advertising, communications and related business courses world class information on the topic of education in direct/interactive marketing.

l-r: Peter Fader, Dan Parzych, Sid Liebenson, audience at morning general session

• College Days

This unique event, offering more than 60 students from colleges in the Chicago area an opportunity to not only hear first-hand from professionals in the field of direct / interactive marketing, but attendees receive admittance to the DMA Annual Conference. 

The event is co-sponsored by the DMEF and the Chicago Direct Marketing Association Educational Foundation.

Above: scenes from College Days.

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November

• 2008 Board of Trustees Introduced

The 2007-2008 officers and nine new Board of Trustees are announced in November.  The high caliber of DMEF programs, events, and activities represents a new level of engagement for the direct/interactive marketing community.  The Board is prepared to build on the solid successes of the DMEF, taking the organization to a whole new level to meet the needs of academics, practitioners, and students alike. 

Click here for a list of the 2008 DMEF Board of Trustees. 

• Student Career Forum

More than 170 students and professors gather at The McGraw Hill Companies World Headquarters in New York City on November 2, to hear industry experts talk about the hottest trends in direct / interactive marketing.  Visiting from schools throughout the tri-state area, students hear compelling information about career opportunities, and receive valuable job-seeking tips and strategies.  The program, funded by the Lee Epstein Fund, represents the life-long commitment of its founder to education, and continues opportunities in the field to offer future leaders . 

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December

DMEF says thank you … to you - our 2007 donors and supporters.  We couldn’t do it without you.  Click here to see those who supported the DMEF in 2007. 

What’s in store in 2008?  Watch for the Rising Stars Nominations … DMLDP Year II announcement … the new curriculum modules … internship and other placement opportunities … and much, much more!

 

PS – if you are looking for a great way to invest in the future, we invite you to kick off 2008 with a donation to the DMEF - we welcome your support. Click here to access a donation form.

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Contact Us
If you have any questions about the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation or would like to make a donation, contact Terri L. Bartlett, President at dmef@the-dma.org

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