InfoUSA Acquires Digital Connexxions

InfoUSA has acquired Digital Connexxions, an e-mail marketing company that specializes in the small-to-medium market and the publishing industry. InfoUSA did not disclose the acquisition terms. The Oakville, Ontario-based company was purchased from an investor group lead by founder Paul Westhorpe.

InfoUSA plans to integrate Digital’s operations into its Yesmail e-mail subsidiary, a unit within the Donnelley Marketing Group that has traditionally focused on larger clients.

Westhorpe will join Yesmail’s executive team as senior vice president of business development, reporting to Mike Hilts, president and general manager of Yesmail. Westhorpe will focus on developing the small- to mid-level market for the Yesmail product suite.

John Ching, Digital’s chief technology officer, will report to Grant Roholt, senior vice president of technology and CTO for Yesmail.

The technology offerings Digital provides the publishing industry dovetail nicely with the list management and brokerage services InfoUSA currently gives it, said Ed Mallin, president of the Donnelley Group.
While Yesmail plans eventually to capitalize on Digital’s presence in the U.K., Canadian and Chinese markets, “We are really more interested in what we can accomplish short term,” Mallin said.