Maybe the DMA Does Heart Catalogers
In what appears to be a sign that it does aim to cater more to catalog members, The Direct Marketing Association has named Bob Allen its interim president/CEO.
Allen is the former president/CEO of The Vermont Country Store. That’s about as old-school catalog as you can get (which I mean in the nicest possible way).
But since Allen did guide the old-timey, general store mailer into the digital age, he must be comfortable with bringing about change. And Allen, who is now a director for six companies in New England—including several catalogers—is a past president of NEMOA another industry trade group.
That’s significant, because NEMOA has evolved from a small, regional mail order group to a thriving and nimble organization for multichannel marketers.
I agree with DMA chairman Eugene R. Raitt’s assessment that Allen ”is exactly the kind of forward-thinking leader we need.” Allen is certainly going to be a breath of fresh air to DMA management.
But we have to remember it’s a temporary appointment: Allen will lead the DMA until it finds a replacement for former president/CEO John A. Greco, who left last month. Who the DMA names as a permanent CEO will be a better indication of the organization’s direction.
Not a bad start, though.
