SAN FRANCISCO – The Direct Marketing Association’s board of directors inducted three new members into the DMA Hall of Fame on Oct. 16 at a packed awards luncheon presentation at the DMA06 conference and exhibition here.
The honorees this year were Dick Cabela, founder of hunting and outdoor gear cataloger Cabela’s; John F. Temple, president/CEO of Guideposts; and the late Donald Kuhn (1922-2005) of May Development Services/Direct Media Inc.
The DMA said these three pioneers’ commitment to the direct marketing community has helped shape the future of direct marketing, and their contributions have touched the lives of thousands of direct marketers.
Established in 1978, the DMA Hall of Fame honors direct marketing professionals’ outstanding career contributions to the practice, growth and stature of the direct marketing discipline.
With the induction of the 2006 honorees, the Hall of Fame will have 89 inductees.
In accepting his award, Mr. Cabela thanked his wife of 51 years.
“My wife Mary has been with me side-by-side as we built this business,” Mr. Cabela said, also thanking his employees “who are the heart and soul of the company.”
Cabela’s produces more than 76 different catalogs per year, including specialty books focusing on such outdoor pursuits like archery, fly-fishing and boating, as well as the massive spring and fall master catalogs.
In addition, besides the e-commerce side of www.cabelas.com, which went live in 1998, the Web site features a continuously updated content site, community pages, company information and catalog requests.
Visitors to the site can also sign up for The Cabela’s Connection e-mail newsletter, informing them of new products, special offers and general outdoor news.
Meanwhile, Mr. Temple thanked his family and talked about the future of direct marketing and how it is rapidly changing. But he said” rapid change means rapid opportunities. It’s a great time to be a part of this industry.”
In addition to its flagship publication, Guideposts provides a variety of inspirational magazines, books, and related products and ministry programs to nearly 15 million people every month.
Kuhn’s award was accepted by Marshall Kuhn, his eldest son, and Larry May, CEO of Direct Media Inc., one of his protégés.
“My father had a real lust for life, a joie de vivre,” Marshall Kuhn said.
Don Kuhn, who passed away last year, began a career in nonprofit fundraising in the early 1950s. He joined what is today the American Lung Association, starting out working for its Chicago affiliate.
Eventually his success there, and in the Florida and Michigan affiliates, led to a position at the national headquarters as head of the fundraising divisions.
During that time, Kuhn developed major innovations that today’s fundraisers take for granted. His long tenure in the American Lung Association fundraising program had an impact on direct mail testing and the refinement of direct mail practices.
In 1979, Kuhn accepted a position with the Walter Karl Company as senior vice president of the fundraising division. In his years with Walter Karl, he influenced many of today’s fundraising professionals, clients and vendors.
Kuhn in 1993 assumed a consulting position with May Development Services where he continued his mentoring and consulting work, emphasizing donor management and sound fundraising practices.
