Every June, the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) pays tribute to the Rising Stars of the direct/interactive marketing community at its Annual Rising Stars Awards Dinner. Invited guests gather in New York City for an evening of honor and tribute as well as a chance to meet the upper echelon of marketing direct. This all-star networking event is held in conjunction with DM Days New York Conference & Expo.

The DMEF’s Rising Stars Awards pay tribute to the most talented professionals 40 years of age and under working in the field of direct/interactive marketing. Winning candidates will have demonstrated superior leadership abilities, including a strong track record of outstanding results and a stellar reputation for “giving back” through direct marketing education.

The DMEF Corporate Commitment Award, which is given to companies that regularly demonstrate a commitment to educating new talent, is also presented at the dinner.

Funds raised from the dinner benefit the DMEF in its mission to advance direct/interactive marketing and attract top-tier talent to the field. The Rising Stars Awards program is an affirmation of the success and purpose of the DMEF . . . showcasing young professionals who are demonstrating leadership and success during their first two decades of employment.

For more information about any of these programs, please contact our Director of Development at 212.790.1512.

Click here for more information about nominating a candidate.
Reserve your ad tribute space and register for this dinner today!

The industry loves a good party and DMEF has two every year that feature the best in the business. Our glitzy Annual Awards Dinner is a who’s who of direct/interactive marketing and pays homage to the leaders in our field.

While our New York City-based Rising Stars Awards Dinner, honors the best and the brightest in direct/interactive marketing under the age of 40.

These are two events that should not be missed. Mark your calendars and reserve your space now.

Whether you take advantage of the Collegiate ECHO Competition, which allows students to create a marketing plan for your company or brand, or your company is honored for helping to further direct/interactive marketing education, DMEF has several ways you can be rewarded for your commitment to the field of direct/interactive marketing.

Our Leadership Development program provides you with the opportunity to have top-tier talent work for your company via corporate rotation. Our Rising Stars Award pays tribute to the industry’s most talented marketers under the age of 40 and the Robert B. Clarke and Vision Awards honor overall and lifetime achievement in the industry.

2009 Beth Smith
2008 Jon Roska
2007 Tim Litle
2006 David Florence
2005 Dick & Mary Cabela
2004 Katie Muldoon
2003 Stephen Polk
2002 Markus Wilhelm
2001 Dr. Richard L. Montesi
2000 David Shepard
1999 Richard C. Wolter
1998 Robert L. Hemmings
1997 Kate T. Kestnbaum & Robert D. Kestnbaum
1996 Joan Throckmorton & Jerry Reitman
1995 Geraldine Hedberg & Lee Epstein
1994 Lester Wunderman
1993 Paul Leblang
1992 Edward “Ted” Spiegel
1990 Jim Kobs
1991 Bob Hutchings
1989 John Flieder
1988 Robert B. Clarke
1987 Robert DeLay
1986 C. Rose Harper
1985 Richard Hodgson
1984 Freeman Gosden, Jr.
1983 Martin Baier
1982 Henry Hoke, Jr.
1981 Paul Sampson
1980 Robert Stone
1979 John Yeck
1978 Nat Ross
1977 Lewis Kleid

The DMEF Corporate Leadership Award honors a corporation that has made significant contributions to direct and interactive marketing education. This unique and significant award honors businesses that offer their own employees multiple opportunities for personal and professional improvement and are dedicated to continuing education, diversity, and inclusion.

2009 Goodman&Company
2008 Scholastic
2007 Draftfcb
2006 The Martin Agency
2005 ACXIOM Corporation
2004 Wunderman
2003 Experian
2002 Allstate Insurance Company
2001 R.R. Donnelley

2009 Goodman&Company

Goodman&Company (www.goodmancompany.com) creates unique value by bridging the gap between management consultants and marketing agencies. Their collaborative approach, informed by expertise spanning the major marketing disciplines and channels, successfully aligns marketing investments with the best opportunities for growth and increased profitability.

creates unique value by bridging the gap between management consultants and marketing agencies. Their collaborative approach, informed by expertise spanning the major marketing disciplines and channels, successfully aligns marketing investments with the best opportunities for growth and increased profitability.

Goodman&Company has built a track record of success with Global 2000 clients by partnering with senior marketers and line of business executives to create measurable return by optimizing customer-facing channels to drive acquisition and retention, leveraging the power of insights to increase customer lifetime value, and accelerating the marketing organization’s ability to innovate.

One of the company’s core values is to stay on the forefront of opportunities that contribute to the advancement of the direct/interactive marketing industry. Their role in DMEF’s Next Generation Leadership program, participation on DMEF’s Board of Trustees, and unwavering support in the creation of DMEF’s mission and strategy make Goodman&Company well deserving of this years’ award.

2008 – Scholastic

For more than 85 years, education has been at the center of Scholastic’s success. Today, the multichannel marketing company is a leader in children’s publishing, education, and entertainment, all of which are underscored by its corporate mission to install a love of reading and learning in all children. This same commitment to learning is carried into Scholastic’s workplace.

An important aspect of this award honors the work done through e-Scholastic, the division created to maximize the potential of the internet as a significant channel of distribution and e-Commerce and to expand the company’s core businesses. Scholastic.com has won numerous awards, including the Webby Award and the People’s Choice Award for Best Kids Site, and is one of the Top 50 online retailers in the Internet Retailer 500 survey.

Scholastic has been a steadfast backer of the DMEF under the leadership of Seth D. Radwell. Seth has served on the DMEF Board of Trustees and has been influential in creating the vision for the Foundation as a key member of the Marketing & Strategic Planning Committee. Scholastic was one of the founding companies in implementing the Direct Marketing Leadership Development Program (DMLDP), hiring young professionals to work at Scholastic and learn direct/interactive marketing on the job. Scholastic shows a commitment to learning and education in their business, workplace and in their partnership with the DMEF.

2007 – Draftfcb

“The DMEF’s Corporate Leadership Award honors the unique and significant actions of a corporation that demonstrates outstanding practices with the aim of contributing to direct marketing education. Draftfcb met — and exceeded — these requirements,” said Allen Dyon, chairman of DMEF.

“In our industry, our biggest asset is our people,” said Howard Draft, Chairman and CEO of Draftfcb. “That’s why it’s important for all agencies to foster the development of future employees at the college and university level. Draftfcb is a firm supporter of DMEF and its efforts to provide direct marketing education to students.”

Back in 2004 when it was known simply as “Draft,” this world-renowned direct marketing agency agreed to be DMEF’s second volunteer agency of record. Two years and a merger later, Draftfcb (www.draftfcb.com) remains a stalwart supporter of direct marketing education.

The company has handled projects such as the Foundation’s planned-giving campaign, renewal series, and fundraising mailings, and a curriculum module that illustrates the creative process in direct marketing through a dynamic, multimedia presentation. Even as Interpublic united Draft and FCB to create Draftfcb, the new company remained committed to enhancing direct marketing education at the collegiate level.

2006 – The Martin Agency

The Martin Agency has been a stalwart supporter of direct marketing education for many years. Since 1988, the company, in partnership with DMEF, has hosted an annual agency seminar at its Richmond, VA headquarters. For the first several years of its operation, the program focused on college undergraduate students. Now, in an effort to reach even more students, they have followed the lead of the DMEF by turning their attention to focus on professors teaching and research needs. The seminar, which uses client examples, offers professors exciting best practices to use in the classroom.

Twice a year, The Martin Agency sponsored The Student Workshop in which 15 students participated in an agency presentation and client project over a 10-day period, creating a fully integrated advertising campaign. The agency also participated in Virginia Commonwealth University’s Ad Center, and hosts interns and donates scholarships annually.

2005 – ACXIOM Corporation

Acxiom Corporation is a world leader in customer and information management solutions and the trusted partner of leading global companies. Customer information is one of the most important assets a company owns. Many customer relationship solutions fail because companies do not fully capitalize on their customer data. Acxiom shows businesses how to maximize the value of the information they have in order to build strong, lasting relationships with customers.

Customer data expertise, superb systems management, operational excellence, technological innovation and creative problem solving are all Acxiom hallmarks. Honored in 2005 with the prestigious 21st Century Achievement Award from the Computerworld Honors Program, ACXIOM was saluted for its “positive contributions to the global information technology revolution.”

Acxiom is a longtime supporter of the DMEF and its programs. Even in today’s challenging times, their corporate excellence makes Acxiom a particularly notable and worthy recipient of this award.

2004 – Wunderman

Wunderman is one of the most experienced customer-focused marketing communications agencies. With a rich heritage spanning over 40 years, Wunderman was ranked among the top three worldwide marketing services agencies by Advertising Age in 2002.

Offering powerful data solutions — both in-house and through KnowledgeBase Marketing, a wholly owned subsidiary — and of course, best-in-class creative services, Wunderman combines broad-ranging capabilities in strategy and insights, customer dialogue and teleservices, media, interactive and promotions to deliver holistic, seamless client solutions. It creates customer experiences that build brands, initiate true dialogues and drive action — consistently and successfully, in 78 offices worldwide.

Boldly stepping into the future, combining data and strategic thought to develop insights, fusing those insights into daring creative work to redefine the customer experience and making an impact in the marketplace: these are the ongoing challenges at Wunderman, and they’re what help make the Wunderman approach unique.

Since its inception, Wunderman has promoted direct marketing education, both internally and externally, around the world.

2003 – Experian

Experian avidly supports direct marketing education. Through “The Heart of Experian,” its community involvement program, the company fosters lasting relationships with organizations such as DMEF by funding program initiatives, and by providing further support through employee participation.

Starting in 1983 with a Metromail program led by Bill Howe, Experian sponsored 15 DMEF Collegiate Institutes ― intensive five-day seminars for the “best and brightest” college seniors majoring in marketing, advertising and database/information systems. During the program, Experian staff members devoted one full day to teach students direct/interactive marketing best practices. To date, Experian has shared its expertise and career knowledge with more than 750 college students.

2002 – Allstate Insurance Company

Allstate was selected to receive the 2002 DMEF Corporate Leadership Award in recognition of its many years of contributions to direct marketing education and its long history in direct marketing insurance products. Allstate has an extensive history of involvement with DMEF, going back more than 30 years, to the first association-sponsored Chicago Association of Direct Marketing (CADM) Collegiate Institutes. Allstate helped underwrite and conduct the first Institutes at a then company-owned hotel in Northbrook. That seeding has resulted in years of Institutes and hundreds of students gaining very solid background in direct, many of whom have chosen careers in our field.

Allstate also played a visionary role in DM education, recognizing that more students could be reached by focusing on professors’ teaching and research needs. Allstate co-sponsored, again with CADM, the first DMEF Professors’ Institute, designed to give educators the knowledge and resources needed to teach direct/interactive marketing. As a result, the Midwest leads the country in the number of available complete courses in direct/interactive marketing. Allstate also played a crucial and decisive role in successfully raising $250,000 needed to fund a master’s degree program at Northwestern University.

This outstanding background in promoting DM education, and its far-reaching efforts to use the Internet and alternate media to provide product choice to the consumer, make Allstate the 2002 honoree.

2001 – R.R. Donnelley

Throughout its history, R.R. Donnelley has demonstrated corporate leadership and citizenship by supporting community and national organizations including the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation. Over the years, R.R. Donnelley has actively supported the DMEF by hosting and funding the former Collegiate Institute for juniors and seniors. More than 300 students have benefited from R.R. Donnelley’s strong commitment.

In addition to its community outreach, R.R. Donnelley offers its own employees multiple opportunities for personal and professional improvement. The company believes that when employees have the right tools, training and technology, breakthrough improvements in quality, productivity and speed are the result.

A company dedicated to diversity, inclusion and continuing education, R.R. Donnelley ranked #1 in the printing industry on this year’s Fortune’s List of Most Admired Companies; it made Next Step magazine’s list of America’s 100 most diverse corporations, and Latina Style magazine named R.R. Donnelley one of the “Top 50 Companies for Hispanic Women to Work in the United States.”

R. R. Donnelley enriches the lives of millions by connecting people with the power of words and images. In 2000, alone, R.R. Donnelley produced 5 billion magazines, 520 million books and 6 billion catalogs, directories, direct-mail promotions and web pages.

The exclusive DMEF Vision Award recognizes a direct marketer who has made sustained and substantial lifetime contributions to the growth, development and broad educational scope of direct marketing . It is expressly designed to honor those rare individuals who by visionary hard work and creative insight have forever positively changed the direct marketing field.

First introduced in 2004, the Vision Award is given selectively when a special committee selected by the Chairman determines that a recipient is worthy.

Recipients

2010 Markus Wilhelm
2009 Jerry Shereshewsky
2005 Stan Rapp
2004 Lester Wunderman

For more information about the award, please send your inquiries to [email protected].

Most traditional job rotations move people between departments in an organization or between geographic regions or countries. DMEF has developed the next generation of rotation programs – an initiative that moves participants among companies.

This unique approach helps develop world-class talent for today’s fast-paced, multichannel direct/interactive environment. In 12 months, this program nurtures candidates with a marketplace maturity that would normally be attained only after several years of work experience.

The program is simple. There are three sponsor companies per rotation. DMEF conducts all initial screening of candidates and arranges for sponsor companies to interview top finalists. The recruited Associates work a four-month rotation at each of the three sponsor companies over the course of one year.

How does this benefit your company? You get a turnkey direct/interactive management trainee program for the price of one management hire. Participating companies preview three motivated college graduates without any obligation to hire and without increasing the workload of your HR talent acquisition staff. At the end of the program you have the opportunity to hire one or more of these talented individuals.

If you would like more information about becoming a Next Generation Leaders sponsor company, please contact Marie Adolphe, VP – Program Development at 212-768-7277 ext. 1335 or [email protected].

ANNUAL AWARDS RECIPIENTS ANNOUNCED: Marjorie Kalter, Ph.D., Markus Wilhelm, and Merkle to be Awarded at Annual Awards Dinner October 9

New York, NY, — The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) today announced that Dr. Marjorie Kalter, clinical professor, and academic program director, New York University (NYU) Master of Science, integrated marketing program, will receive the DMEF Edward N. Mayer, Jr. Education Leadership Award; Markus Wilhelm, CEO of AKS Marketing & Media and chairman of Strata Solar LLC, will receive the exclusive DMEF Vision Award; and Merkle, a primary customer relationship marketing agency, will be presented with the DMEF Corporate Leadership Award.

This year’s honors will be presented at the DMEF Annual Awards Dinner on Saturday, October 9, 2010, at the Fairmont in San Francisco. This prestigious event presents both marketing professionals and academics the unique opportunity to gather together to celebrate the growth of multichannel marketing, stress the importance of education in the greater community, and help advance cutting-edge direct/interactive marketing education resources.

“DMEF’s Annual Awards Dinner both introduces and reunites the industry’s most successful marketers,” said Gary S. Laben, CEO of KnowledgeBase Marketing, and chairman of DMEF. “Once again, DMEF’s commitment to excellence is embodied in this year’s worthy recipients. I can think of no better way to spend a night in San Francisco than joining my fellow marketers for what is sure to be an unforgettable experience.”

The dinner, which is the Foundation’s premier annual event, will be held during the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) DMA2010 Conference & Exhibition, the Global ROI Marketing Event, that will run October 9-14 in San Francisco, California.

Edward N. Mayer, Jr. Award for Education Leadership

The 2010 Edward N. Mayer, Jr. Award for Education Leadership will be presented to Marjorie Kalter, Ph.D., clinical professor and academic program director of NYU’s Master of Science program in integrated marketing; former DMEF Robert B. Clarke Outstanding Educator Award winner.

The Mayer Award, DMEF’s most prominent annual award, honors individuals who demonstrate the highest level of personal commitment to helping create effective programs, concepts, teaching methods or materials for the instruction of college students or professors; providing personal and corporate financial assistance; and executing any other contribution, which effectively assists or promotes the DMEF’s mission and objectives.

Mayer Award nominations are submitted by peers and reviewed by DMEF’s Board of Trustees, which selects the honoree. Previous Mayer recipients include Beth Smith, Smith Browning Direct, Inc.; Jon Roska, Roska Direct Advertising; Tim Litle, Litle & Co.; David W. Florence, Direct Media, Inc.; Dick and Mary Cabela, Cabela’s Inc.; Katie Muldoon, Muldoon & Baer, Inc.; Stephen Polk, Polk & Co.; Markus Wilhelm, past DMA chairman and chief executive officer, Bookspan; and David Shepard, David Shepard Associates, Inc.

Kalter has the experience and knowledge that beginning direct marketers aspire to one day have themselves. Kalter taught Columbia University’s MBA program in direct marketing for nine years before joining the staff of NYU in 2001. She has also served as executive vice president and account managing director at Wunderman (WPP Group) in New York and Paris where she led integrated marketing programs for a numerous internationally known companies.

Kalter’s teaching and marketing experience make her a valuable asset to the field of marketing. Since being awarded the DMEF’s Outstanding Educator Award in 2004, she has been a member of the Board of Trustees for DMEF, a member of DMA’s ECHO Committee, chairman of DMA’s Hall of Fame Committee for 2007, and an active speaker at marketing conferences.

Corporate Leadership Award

The 2010 DMEF Corporate Leadership Award will be presented to Merkle, a leading customer relationship marketing agency. (www.merkleinc.com)

This unique and significant award honors businesses that champion education on all levels including internal and external audiences, as they consistently demonstrate a commitment to excellence industry wide. Past DMEF Corporate Leadership Award recipients include companies such as Goodman&Company; Scholastic; Draftfcb; The Martin Agency; and Acxiom.

Merkle believes the best way to succeed in business is to balance both quantitative and qualitative approaches to marketing. Founded in 1971, this customer relationship marketing agency identifies successful marketing as consisting of three critical components: thought leadership and strategy; a well-defined engagement model; and a fully integrated implementation approach. With locations in ten major states, Merkle’s mission is to help clients create and maintain marketing strategies that will influence consumer behavior over time. Merkle is an active marketing educator to younger generations including a major sponsor of DMEF’s re-branded Interactive Marketing Immersion Xperience (I-MIX) program, which will take place early August.

Vision Award

The 2010 Vision Award will be presented to Markus Wilhelm, chief executive officer of AKS Marketing & Media, and chairman of Strata Solar LLC.

This exclusive award recognizes a direct marketer who has made a substantial and sustained lifetime contribution to the growth, development and broad educational scope of direct/interactive marketing. Expressly designed to honor those rare individuals whose visionary hard work and creative insight have forever positively changed the marketing community, the award is given selectively, when a special committee selected by the chairman determines that a recipient is worthy. Past Vision Award recipients include Jerry Shereshewsky in 2009, Stan Rapp in 2005, and Lester Wunderman in 2004.

Wilhelm started his direct marketing career working for Bertlesmann Direct and since then has served as CEO for a series of prestigious companies including Bookspan, Doubleday Canada, and Doubleday Direct. Wilhelm currently serves as CEO of AKS Marketing & Media, a direct marketing consulting agency that provides strategic and operational consulting to clients. He is also chairman of Strata Solar LLC, a recently established solar energy distribution company.

Few have demonstrated an understanding and commitment to education as manifested in Wilhelm’s idea to launch DMEF’s Next Generation Leaders program. This rotating residency for recent graduates is helping to generate attention and interest for careers in direct/interactive marketing. Working closely with both the Boards and staff of DMEF and DMA, he has been instrumental in generating industry support for the Next Generation Leaders initiative. Wilhelm has been a member of DMA’s Board of Directors for the past eight years, serving as its Chairman in 2006 and 2007. He is also a former Trustee of the DMEF Board.

About the DMEF Annual Awards Dinner

The DMEF Annual Awards Dinner will be held Saturday, October 9 at The Fairmont in San Francisco, during the DMA2010 Conference & Exhibition, which takes place October 9 – 14.

Access the Annual Awards Dinner Reservation Form here. For additional information on table sponsorships and tickets to the DMEF Annual Awards Dinner, please contact DMEF Director of Development, Jeanne K. Murphy, 212.768.7277, ext.1371, or email [email protected].

About DMA2010 Conference & Exhibition

The DMA2010 Annual Conference & Exhibition is the world’s largest gathering of cross-media/channel marketing professionals. DMA2010, which will be held October 9-14 in San Francisco, will feature keynote presentations, educational sessions, roundtables, case studies, white papers, and research reports. DMA2010’s exhibit hall will feature hundreds of exhibiting companies. For additional information, or to register for the six-day multichannel marketing event of the year, please visit www.DMA2010.org.

For information about DMA2010 exhibition and sponsorship opportunities, please contact Donna LoPorto at 212.790.1468 or [email protected].

About Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF)

Headquartered in New York City, the Direct Marketing Educational Foundation (DMEF) works to attract, educate, and place top college students in the business of direct/interactive marketing and, thereby, expanding and enriching the talent pool of trained, market-ready marketers. Established in 1966 by members of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) who wanted to give something back to the community, DMEF is today a separate, 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that is supported solely by tax-deductible contributions from individuals and companies. Tax-deductible contributions are the lifeblood of the DMEF; funds raised support a broad range of world-class educational programs and scholarships.

Since its founding, thousands of students have taken advantage of DMEF’s educational programs, entering the field with the competitive edge of being “workplace-ready.” Many have gone on to become today’s marketing leaders, an indication of the Foundation’s success. In addition, more than 2,000 professors have participated in DMEF programs. Thanks in significant part to the Foundation’s four decades of work, today approximately 255 colleges and universities offer courses in direct/interactive marketing, 31 of which now offer specific direct marketing degrees and certificate programs. For additional information about the DMEF, its mission, and its programs, visit www.directworks.org.

# # #

Sue R.E. Geramian
212.790.1486
[email protected]

Carmela M. Uzzi
212.790.1422
[email protected]

Read further for information and comments on the 2010 I-MIX event:

DMEF’S 2010 Interactive Marketing Immersion Xperience (I-MIX) | August 2- 6, 2010

A New Opportunity for College Juniors and 1st Semester Seniors
to Set Themselves Apart in Today’s Job Market.

Deadline to Apply for I-MIX 2010 has closed.

Most travel fees covered.  Financial assistance is available.

 I-MIX Update

I-MIX 2010 has wrapped for the year with much success.  See what some of the participants have to say about the experience:

• I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at I-MIX. As an operations management major with a passion for marketing I have been able to learn a tremendous amount of relevant and current information and trends in marketing. This program was an excellent compliment to my marketing courses…I feel like I am so much more aware of the great potential that I could have to combine my skills…to a marketing profession. The introduction improve was a great way for me to open up and meet neveryone in the program while also learning a good deal about myself. I would highly recommend this program to any focused, driven student with an interest in the marketing profession. -Maura MacDonald (University of Massachusetts, Amherst).
• I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the past week spent with the students, the people from Merkle, and the other educators that you invited to give lectures. I learned an incredible amount within a short period of time…I truly believe I was permitted an amazing opportunity.  [T]hank you for the patience and constant engagement you demonstrated with each and every one of us throughout the week. I am proud to be considered a new member of the DMEF alumni. – Genevieve Cenower (NYU)
• Thank you so much for the opportunity to participate in such an amazing program!…You truly did inspire me to continue my education in the field of marketing….I cannot thank you and the DMEF enough for providing a fun-filled week full of information from experts that are really going to place the 30 of us above others in our field. – Erin Cotter (Christopher Newport University)
• …you can count with me to spread the word about the program and really motivate people to apply and be a part of this unique experience. Thanks again! – Kisney Lopes (Western Connecticut State University)
• I would like to sincerely thank [the] DMEF for organizing such a great event along with Merkle. I really learned a lot from the all the seminars and the group presentations at the end. Moreover, during this event I was able to create a network of people which can be of great asset to me in my career ahead. – Aashish Mookim (Pace University)
• …a mix of fun and experience. – Desiree Roughton (San Diego State University)
• This program was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. – Valerie Whiting (Drake University)
• I thought that this was a great program and [I] think that people will enjoy it. Great! Awesome! – Erin Rhoades (Eastern Michigan University)

For pictures of the I-MIX 2010 program, please visit our

Flickr photo album

See some of our student testimonials of the 2010 I-MIX program.

     |          |     

Speakers

• John Deighton
  Professor
  Harvard University
  Topic: Building Brands in the Internet Era
• Senny Boone
  Senior VP, Corporate & Social Responsibility
  DMA
  Topic: Ethics and Privacy (TBA)
• Mark Weninger
  Chief Creative Officer
  Merkle Inc.
  Topic: Creating Great Interactive Communications
• Peter Vandre
  Director
  Quantitative Solutions Group
  Topic: Email Program Optimization
• Jeff Clayton
  VP Interactive Product Strategy
  Merkle Inc.
  Topic: Brave New World of Digital Media Marketing
• Michael Ricci
  VP Mobile Solutions
  Merkle Inc.
  Topic: Mobile Marketing Trends
• Paull Young
  Director of Digital Engagement & Fundraising
  Charity:Water
  Topic: Social Media 101
• Rich Fleck
  VP Strategic Services
  Merkle Inc.
  Topic: Integrating Online Marketing
• Meredith Trotta
  Private Coach
  The Polished Student
  Topic: Tell Me About Yourself and other Terrifying Tools of Recruiters

About the I-MIX Program

The Direct Marketing Educational Foundation’s (DMEF) Interactive Marketing Immersion Xperience, (I-MIX), and the host and principal sponsor, Merkle, with a matching grant from the Lee Epstein and Willa Yeck Funds offer 30 college students an exceptional opportunity to learn about current and emerging trends in marketing from leading practitioners and academics. This program is designed for juniors and first semester seniors who are considering a career in marketing.

During the week-long intensive program, students will be immersed in seminars focused on interactive marketing. Presentations will provide students with a deep understanding of both strategic concepts and practical application. After completing this program, students will have a decided edge in securing a job in this competitive market.

Admission to this program is highly selective. The program is open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents and international students. The 2010 program will begin on Monday, August 2nd and end on Friday, August 6th.

I-MIX Program Benefits

Students who participate in I-MIX will: Gain knowledge and experience that sets them apart from their peers. Expand their understanding of strategic, creative and tactical marketing practices. Explore current and emerging trends in marketing. Build leadership and teamwork skills via case analysis, group projects and participation in team-building exercises. Acquire an edge in the job-search process. Improve their networking skills.

I-MIX Program Costs

A fee of $300 is required two weeks after acceptance into the program to hold your space. All program materials, housing and most meals will be covered. Students will be required to cover one meal on their free night and all incidental expenses. DMEF will reimburse travel costs up to $500. Supporting documentation must be provided in order to receive reimbursement. Financial assistance may be available for students who request it in advance and are prepared to demonstrate their need.

I-MIX Location

Participants will be housed at the Sheraton Columbia Town Center Hotel; amenities include: free parking garage, state of the art fitness center and outdoor swimming pool. Nearby points of interest include Lake Kittamaqundi (adjacent); the Mall in Columbia (across the street); Merriweather Post Pavillion (concert venue-.5 miles) and African Art Museum of Maryland (– 1 mile).

Program sessions took place at Merkle Corporate Headquarters in Columbia, Maryland.

Important I-MIX Dates and Deadlines

 Please check back for important I-MIX 2011 dates and deadlines.

I-MIX Application Instructions

Please check back for important I-MIX 2011 application instructions. Since admission to the program is highly competitive, students are urged to submit their applications as early as possible and to confirm that the supporting materials are received by DMEF by the application deadline.

You must complete the application form.

For questions regarding the I-MIX program contact:

About the Principal Sponsor

Our principal sponsor, Merkle, is a leading customer relationship marketing agency that offers quantitative, information-based solutions that maximize return on marketing investment (ROMI). Merkle is a recognized industry leader in the areas of corporate strategy, focus and delivery strategy, data and data sourcing services and technology capabilities.

Presented By:
Principal Sponsor:
Sponsor:
Sponsor:	The Willa Yeck Fund