The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation has launched the Direct Marketing Leadership Development Program that is designed to prepare tomorrow’s direct marketing leaders for their future careers.
Sponsored by Goodman & Company, Harte-Hanks Inc., Scholastic and Wunderman, the program offers four college graduates a rich, on-the-job opportunity to translate their classroom knowledge into real-world experience and learn the latest advancements in multichannel direct marketing.
“Since 1966 the DMEF’s core mission has been to take direct marketing to colleges and universities across the nation,” said Markus Wilhelm, DMA chairman and member of the DMEF Board of Trustees. “The Foundation has done this in a number of ways, including programs designed specifically for students as well as those designed to reach directly to marketing professors. Now with our new Leadership Development Program, we’re introducing what you might call a ‘classroom-to-boardroom’ initiative that brings the recently graduated students to us.”
In its inaugural year beginning July 16, four university graduates will rotate residencies and spend three months at each of the sponsoring companies. Through a restricted grant to the DMEF, the sponsoring companies will pay salaries, benefits and program costs.
The DMEF’s 2007 residents, selected after meeting with DMEF President Terri L. Bartlett and staff, as well as representatives of the sponsoring companies, are:
-Francisco Alberini of Los Angeles, CA, who double-majored in marketing and international business at NYU Stern, New York University.
-Andrea Derricks of Mechanicsburg, PA, who obtained a bachelor’s degree in American studies at Columbia University.
-Kelly Lewis of Warrenton, VA, who double-majored in English and Spanish at the University of Virginia.
-Nicole Lombardo of Englishtown, NJ, who earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing and international business from Villanova University.
“The program’s residents get a crash course in direct marketing, which is the future of all marketing,” Mr. Wilhelm said. The sponsors get to draw on fresh talent and ultimately the greater direct marketing community will benefit.”
The DMEF also announced last week that Tim Litle, chairman and founder of Litle & Co., will receive the DMEF Edward N. Mayer Educational Leadership Award, and Draftfcb will be presented with the DMEF Corporate Leadership Award. Both honors will be presented at the DMEF’s Annual Awards Dinner on Saturday, October 13, at The Hyatt Regency Chicago during the DMA07 Conference & Exhibition, which takes place October 13-18.
