List & Data Council:

The List Leader of the Year Award

The List Leader of the Year Award annually honors an individual for outstanding contributions to the list and data industry. Peers nominate and judge the candidates for this award and the honoree will be formally announced at a dinner celebration. The DMA List & Database Council originally established this award.

This year, the award will be presented at a special dinner the evening of the DMA List Leader event on June 15 at the DMA Seminar Center in NYC.

Nomination deadline: March 27, 2009

Nominating Criteria

The individual must meet the following criteria:

Have a minimum of 15 years experience in the list and database community
Has contributed to improvement in one or more of the following areas: Ethics, Education, List Practices & Standards, Privacy Issues, Postal Reform, Communication, Environmental Concerns

Past Winners

2008 - Linda Huntoon, Executive Vice President - Corporate, Consumer List Brokerage, Direct Media, Inc.
Linda began her career in Direct Marketing in the early 1980’s at Walter Karl, Inc. as an order entry clerk. She became a brokerage assistant within 5 months, and was promoted rapidly to Account Executive. In the ‘80’s she worked with a large and diversified client base and pioneered Proprietary Promotional Databases and Hotline Marketing techniques. She achieved the level of Vice President in 1988, and was instrumental in helping computerize the Walter Karl order entry program and Datacard system, both of which were among the earliest in the industry.

In 1992 she joined SpeciaLISTS, now Specialists Marketing Services, Inc. as President of their New York Brokerage Division. There she maintained her own accounts and worked with other brokers to develop theirs. She maintained that division for ten years, before joining Direct Media, Inc. in 2002. At Direct Media she holds the title of Executive Vice President - Brokerage. She works with the Corporate Executive Team to support their broad client base, and enjoys her consultative role while prospecting, and maintaining her long-held accounts.

Linda belongs to many industry organizations including the DMA, and NEMOA. She is past Chair of the DMA List/Database Council, and a 2004 winner of the Silver Apple Award from the Direct Marketing Club of New York. She is a frequent speaker at industry events and writes for numerous trade publications.

2007 - Fran Green, American List Counsel 2006 - Stefanie Pont, Pont Media Direct
2005 - Deb Goldstein, fr. President, IDG List Services
2004 - Don Mokrynski, Mokrynski & Associates
2003 - Chris Paradysz, ParadyszMatera
2002 - Ray Schultz, DIRECT Magazine
2001 - Ben Perez, The Millard Group, Inc.
2000 - Brian Kurtz, Boardroom, Inc.
1999 - Donn Rappaport, American List Counsel
1998 - Lesli Rodgers, LR Direct

For more information, please contact Lisa Merizio Smith at (212) 790-1567.