The Direct Marketing Association Nonprofit Federation awarded Raymond J. Grace, chairman of Creative Direct Response Inc., the 2005 Max Hart Achievement Award on Friday.
The award was presented by Hart at the DMANF's 2005 Washington Nonprofit Conference.
Grace co-founded Creative Direct Response, Crofton, MD, with Jerry Kennedy and a staff of five in 1982. In 1984, Grace started a list brokerage and management business, National Fundraising Lists. Creative Direct Marketing International Ltd. was the European branch of the firm started by Grace and his partners in 1992. It was sold to a Swiss company in 2002.
In more than two decades he has worked on campaigns for organizations such as Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics, Mothers Against Drunk Driving/MADD Canada, Special Olympics International, The Marine Toys for Tots Foundation and the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Grace continues to work with some of his favorite clients at CDR as chairman, though he has turned daily management and long-range direction of the firm over to CDR president Geoff Peters. CDR now has more than 55 employees.
Formerly known as the Nonprofit Achievement Award, it was renamed this year for Max Hart of Disabled American Veterans, a longtime advocate, supporter and champion of professionalism in the nonprofit fundraising community. The award recognizes outstanding achievement by an individual in the nonprofit community.
