The Direct Marketing Association let 26 staff members go on Tuesday, approximately 19% of its headcount. The layoffs, which follow a 21-person cut last October, bring the organization’s employee level to 83.
“DMA must be positioned to continue to provide outstanding member service with less dependence on the more volatile parts of our traditional revenue stream, especially our large portfolio of conferences and events,” wrote John A. Greco, the organization’s president and CEO, in a letter to DMA members.
“DMA will survive and thrive because the direct marketing process remains vital and will play a key role in economic recovery,” Greco continued. “The direct marketing community needs its association, perhaps now, even more than ever. DMA is aggressively controlling what we can control, while minimizing the risk of what we can't, and helping our members do exactly the same. Our actions reflect what's happening throughout advertising and marketing, and our membership -- we are similarly affected.”
The cuts focused on individuals within the conferences and events, marketing and research operations, according to DMA senior VP of communications Sue R. E. Geramian. The affected individuals worked their last official day on Tuesday, although several were returning to take care of last-minute details, Geramian added.
Separately, Direct Newsline confirmed that two individuals within the DMA’s council operations were let go.
Of the five people within the DMA’s research department, three – Edward Manzitti, VP of research and market intelligence; Anna Chernis, senior research manager; and Anne Frankel, senior research manager – were laid off.
The councils-focused employees let go were Theresa Bartlett, director of special interest councils and Anchie Cicencio, council manager.
Within the DMA’s Washington office, Sandra Cutts, director of public affairs; Marsha Goldberger, director of corporate and social responsibility; and Kristina Riordan, compliance manager were laid off.
Conference employees laid off include Kathryn Sullivan, senior marketing planner; Charity Concepcion, manager of awards programs; Maria Krainova, senior manager of marketing strategy.
Stephen Michaele, the DMA’s chief information officer, had been let go last Monday.
A complete list was not available at deadline.
Along with the staff cuts, the DMA will trim its roster of events. It will maintain DMA'09, its annual conference which will be held in San Diego; DMDays, its New York City event; the Non-Profit Federation Conferences; the Email Evolution Conference; and its partner events such as ACCM (the catalog conference), NCOF (the operations and fulfillment event) and NCDM (the database conference).
“All other existing events will be cancelled or included within our premiere events,” Greco wrote.
Direct Newsline’s parent company, Penton Media, is a partner with the DMA in the ACCM, NCOF and NCDM conferences.
Within research, the DMA will continue to publish “key reports such as Power of Direct, Statistical Fact Book, and our Response Rate Report,” Geramian said, adding “We will partner for other reports and studies.”
In a separate note sent to DMEF board members, the organization went into more detail about cost-saving activities. According to the unsigned note, “DMA has suspended the 401K match for all staff members. Since the start of fiscal ’09, we instituted a salary freeze; and we have passed along increases in healthcare costs to our employees.”
The DMA also said it had strengthened positions within its Washington office, and that it was maintaining strong lobbying efforts on both the federal and state levels. “Our state activities have increased and we continue to maintain and grow outstanding federal level capabilities…DMA’s self regulation programs are critical to the success of our advocacy efforts. DMA will maintain strength in advocacy and reputation management,” the note to DMEF board members continued.
The note also addressed the potential for more layoffs. The note acknowledged that in 2001 DMA cutbacks came in three rounds, and added “We would like this to be it. However we cannot make guarantees and we’ll do what’s necessary to continue to serve the needs of DMA members.”
Asked about what members could do to ameliorate the reduced workforce, Geramian urged members to volunteer for a committee; join a council; participate in one of the DMA’s education programs and/or volunteer to be a teacher; participate in one of its coalitions such as the Internet Alliance or Mail Moves America.
