NOT THAT HE needed any tributes from us, but direct marketers lost one of the best friends they ever had with the death of Pete Hoke in July.
Pete cared passionately about this field, which was evident in the pages of Direct Marketing magazine. Not only was he a fearless advocate for the industry, he was an educator, defining database marketing before most of us ever heard of it.
Incredibly, the same can be said about his father, Henry Hoke, who founded the Reporter of Direct Advertising in the late ’30s. The family has maintained this legacy of service through 60 years and three generations.
In addition to condolences, the Hoke family deserves heartfelt thanks for its long-term contributions. We trust that they will continue, and that the DMA is already preparing Pete’s Hall of Fame plaque.