2006 Press Releases
DMW Worldwide's Warren Hunter Named Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association 2006 Direct Marketer of the Year
Award recognizes industry prominence, contributions to the direct marketing industry, business building, and reputation for integrity
Wayne, PA - June 8, 2006 - Warren Hunter, president and CEO of DMW Worldwide, has been honored by the Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association (PDMA) as "2006 Direct Marketer of the Year."
The award was presented by the PDMA on Wednesday night, June 7, 2006, at the Benjamin Franklin Awards for Direct Marketing Excellence celebration held at The World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, PA.
Hunter, who brings more than 35 years of experience in advertising and direct marketing to the agency’s clients, has led the DMW staff to becoming nationally known as experts in all facets of direct marketing in a variety of industries including insurance and financial services. He has been instrumental in the launch of direct marketing efforts for a cross section of companies using multimedia advertising, database marketing methods, and multichannel distribution.
During his career, Hunter has held top marketing positions with National Liberty, World Book, and BlueCross BlueShield of Florida. In 1988, Warren joined The McClure Group and was offered an equity stake in the business. At McClure, he worked alongside three former PDMA Direct Marketers of the Year. He and his marketing team successfully launched Blue Cross Blue Shield plans in more than 30 states, Puerto Rico, and Ontario, Canada.
The years between 1995 and 2001 brought many challenges and upheavals for the agency. In 1995, The McClure Group sold to Dimac. Three years later McCown DeLeuw, an investment-banking firm, acquired Dimac and The McClure Group merged with Dimac agencies headquartered in St. Louis and Boston and Wilcox and Associates in New York. Together they formed DMW Worldwide, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Dimac Direct. In April 2000, Dimac Direct filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy. For the next year, Hunter served as president and worked closely with then chief executive officer, Steve Isaac, to help manage the corporation out of Chapter 11.
In April 2001, Dimac emerged from Chapter 11 and put all remaining Dimac companies, including DMW, up for sale. On December 28, 2001, DMW's senior management team - led by Hunter - purchased the company. "We'd been under a corporate umbrella since 1995. We now have complete autonomy and greater freedom to not only meet, but to exceed, the needs of our clients and employees," Hunter said at the time of the announcement.
Under Hunter's leadership, DMW moved past these difficulties, and successfully turned the agency around. DMW now provides direct marketing services to no less than 13 Blue Cross Blue Shield plans, 49 public television and radio stations and other not-for-profit clients (under the direction of the Plymouth, MA office), and 16 insurance and financial services industry leading clients.
"I have known Warren since his days at National Liberty and have followed his career as a colleague, a competitor, and a friend," said John J. Harrison, founder and partner, The Keystone Equities Group and past chairman of the Professional Insurance Marketing Association (PIMA). "Not only do I recognize him as a top-notch direct marketer, but also as a fiercely determined businessman who has been successful on both the insurance company and direct marketing agency sides of the business. Warren has endured many challenges and embraced many opportunities and has been steadfast in all endeavors."
About the PDMA Direct Marketer of the
Year Award
Each year the Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association (PDMA) bestows the Direct Marketer of the Year honor upon a candidate that exhibits: industry prominence regionally and nationally; a recognizable contribution to the industry; contributions to the PDMA; business building in the marketplace; and reputation for integrity. The Philadelphia Direct Marketing Association is a non-profit membership association consisting of members throughout Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Delaware. The PDMA has served the direct marketing community through education, information, and networking services since 1943. Visit the PDMA at
www.the-pdma.org.
About DMW Worldwide LLC
DMW Worldwide is a full-service direct response advertising agency with offices in Wayne, PA and Plymouth, MA. The agency - which ranked 37th in the prestigious Advertising Age "Top 50 Direct Marketing Agencies" list and 6th in the Philadelphia Business Journal list of "Top 25 Advertising Agencies" - provides strategic planning, creative, database management, broadcast, media, production, fulfillment, and Internet marketing. Industries served include insurance, healthcare, financial services, consumer products, B2B, and non-profit. Warren Hunter, president and CEO of DMW, can be reached at 610-407-0407 or via e-mail at whunter@dmwdirect.com. Visit DMW's Website at www.dmwdirect.com.