Direct marketing industry veteran and list pioneer Ed Burnett received two standing ovations from attendees of the Direct Marketing Club lunch last week in New York when he gave a short speech in acceptance of The Mal Dunn Leadership Award.
The award was given to Burnett “in recognition of his contributions to the industry” said Stu Boysen, a spokesman for DMC, a not-for-profit educational organization in Garden City, NY.
Burnett's contributions include initiating the use of the fifth digit of a ZIP code for selection purposes and adding several thousand business classifications to the Standard Industrial Classification system.
He started his own small, direct mail business more than 30 years ago when there were no lasers, no ZIP codes, and third-class bulk rates were priced at a penny a piece. Now president of Ed Burnett Consultants Inc., he has served clients such as Pitney Bowes, Xerox, IBM and AT&T.
Burnett said, “Over the years, I have placed several thousand list orders covering several million names. It is pleasant to find I will have this honor from my friends in the business. I wish to thank each friend of mine for this special award. It comes at a particularly good time and is particularly appreciated by me.”
Last year's award, which also comes with a lifetime membership to the Direct Marketing Club, was given to Dave Florence, founder and chairman of Axciom Direct Media, Greenwich, CT.
