Baltimore - Ken Boone recently announced that he has purchased Tidewater Publishing Corp., a direct mail components supplier with facilities in Maryland and Iowa. The company will now operate under the name Tidewater Direct Inc. Boone was a highly-regarded direct marketer when he sold Direct Marketing Associates, a full-service and high-volume direct mailing company, to Harte-Hanks Inc. in 1999 to form Harte-Hanks Baltimore. Boone's Direct Marketing Associates had annual sales of $20 million and sent out about 300 million credit card solicitations per year. The purchase of Tidewater Publishing re-establishes Boone as a major player in the direct marketing industry. "Customers will get the same consistent service and same level of quality as they have enjoyed in the past with Tidewater," says Boone, who also owns and operates American Direct Imaging (ADI), a Baltimore-based direct mail processing and distribution company. "The synergies between Tidewater and American Direct Imaging are outstanding. Tidewater has a new partner in ADI." Tidewater Publishing has a staff of 115 employees at facilities in Centreville, Maryland, and West Branch, Iowa. Combined with ADI, the two companies boast a total of 11 presses, plus numerous folders and saddle stitchers. Boone says he plans to invest millions of dollars to upgrade equipment at the Tidewater facilities that will benefit the company's clients. "Customers can expect consistent quality and wholesale pricing with deliveries on time," says Boone. The Tidewater leadership will stay on under the new ownership. Boone will serve as president. Joseph Johns Jr., formerly president of Tidewater Publishing, becomes vice president of finance. Larry McCormick will serve as vice president of sales, while Dick Smith will be vice president of manufacturing. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Ken Boone, right, takes over as president of Tidewater Direct. Joseph Johns Jr. will serve as vice president of finance.