Pennington, N.J. – July 9, 2007 – Direct Group, a fully integrated direct marketing solutions provider, announced today that Alon Stephens has been appointed President, Southwest Regional Operations, and will also be a partner in the company.  Based in Dallas/Fort Worth, Stephens will oversee regional growth for Direct Group in the Southwest and will play an integral role in overall corporate strategy.
Stephens is a widely recognized industry leader with more than 30 years of senior management, sales and business development experience leading companies in the direct marketing arena.  He has played a vital role in major facilities operations, expansion of new business opportunities, strategic partnerships, acquisitions, and the growth and management of companies throughout his career.   Prior to joining Direct Group, Stephens was most recently Executive Vice President with Transcontinental Direct, where he oversaw facilities in
Texas and California and was instrumental in developing and nurturing client relationships.
“Alon is without a doubt one of our industry’s foremost leaders,” said Don McKenzie, President and CEO of Direct Group.  “He is a demonstrated client advocate with a keen ability to develop, nurture and sustain longstanding client relationships.  Alon is well-known for his skills in understanding client needs and translating them into effective business strategies that result in shared success for all parties involved.  In addition, he inspires a high degree of loyalty among staff, fostering an atmosphere based on the spirit of empowerment and teamwork.  These qualities, combined with his industry knowledge and strategic abilities, will not only help Direct Group meet and exceed the needs of our growing client base, but will be integral to
the continued success and growth of the company.”
In his new role at Direct Group, Stephens will help the company execute on its plan to expand into the Southwest and Western regions of the United States.  At the same time, he will help drive forward the company’s strategic vision of leveraging “3-D” integrated marketing solutions for clients based on “data, decisions and delivery.”
Direct Group has made a number of moves recently to create an integrated solutions model that employs highly targeted behavioral data, sophisticated analytical decision models and just-in-time delivery to create more personalized, effective, response-driven marketing.  These include the introduction of product lines such as Postal Optimizer and ReadSmart, and
the acquisitions of HintonHill and database management company EMSi earlier this year.
“Direct Group is a dynamic company that consistently demonstrates forward-thinking direction on behalf of its clients,” said Stephens.  “I am excited to join such a talented team and help build on the company’s achievements as one of the largest-volume, most-successful direct marketing operations in the United States.”
Chris Ryan, Chief Operating Officer of Direct Group, said:  “Bringing Alon on board marks a key turning point in the evolution of our company, and I am looking forward to working with him.  His background and leadership will help us build momentum for our integrated service offerings, extend our reach to new locations, and serve our clients even better with ROI-driven solutions.” Prior to his role at Transcontinental Direct, Stephens was Vice President of Business Development at CC3, which was acquired by Transcontinental Inc. in 2003.  Previously, Stephens was President and General Manager of Texas Direct, Inc., where he oversaw all sales, production and related administrative responsibilities.  Stephens began his career in 1972 with Industrial Supply Company – where he spent more than 20 years – holding numerous management positions before assuming ownership and ultimately orchestrating the sale of the company.  He holds a pre-law degree from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas.