MIAMI — Kathryn Barber, president of Barber Consulting, received the 2003 Teleservices Excellence Award yesterday from the Direct Marketing Association Teleservices Council.
Barber began her career as a telephone service representative 25 years ago and went on to hold senior management positions at teleservices providers and clients. She formed her own consultancy in 1989, took a job as president of telemarketing at LCS Industries in 1992 and returned to her consultancy in 1996.
She now runs Barber Consulting, Atlantic Highlands, NJ, with her husband, Joel.
She is past chairwoman of the DMA Teleservices Council and current treasurer of the American Teleservices Association board of directors. This year she plans to publish a novel, “Hippie Chick Turns 50.”
The award is given yearly to a teleservices leader in recognition of contributions to the industry. Previous winners include industry veterans Sandy Pernick, president of S. Pernick and Associates, and Jon Hamilton, principal of JHA Telemanagement.
Barber received the award at the DMA Teleservices Conference 2003, held here at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa. She said her main concern with the industry today was that those who seek to limit telemarketing are unaware that they deprive workers, many of whom are underprivileged, of a chance to improve their situation.
“I started on the telephones and made my way up the ranks,” she said. “They're going to take that opportunity away from a lot of people.”
