F. Curtis Barry & Company’s Multichannel Operations & Fulfillment Blog

Save the Date:
National Catalog Advocacy & Strategy Forum
June 26-27, 2008
Washington, D.C.

The American Catalog Mailers Association (ACMA) has been engaged in continuing important discussions on how we can address the current state of affairs in the catalog industry with the USPS, and has been making progress on a number of fronts. These will be covered at the National Catalog Advocacy & Strategy Forum in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, June 26 & Friday, June 27, 2008. The Forum will include the Postmaster General of the U.S. Postal Service, the Chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission and a number of key personnel from both of these important institutions. Non-ACMA members are invited to attend this first-of-its-kind event.

This top-to-top forum, only for catalogers and their key suppliers, is an opportunity to join in dialog with executives of the Postal Service and their Regulator, visit with members of Congress and their key staff members to communicate the value of cataloging and educate policymakers on the critical issues facing our industry, and discuss Do Not Mail and ACMA work on how preference requests are handled by catalogers. Members will also be able to participate in an ACMA annual meeting to vote for officers & directors and get up to date on ACMA’s Program of Work to improve the external environment for cataloging.

ACMA is putting together a “Who’s Who” in postal affairs for the event. “It is critical we have a strong showing from the industry of top executives, owners and thought leaders to make our voice heard,” says Hamilton Davison, Executive Director of ACMA. “Representation from ownership and C-level executives in ACMA’s membership will, in and of itself, speak volumes,” adds Davison, who urges everyone to “pull a colleague or two from another company to attend with you.” Explains Davison, “When a bunch of CEO types descend on our nation’s capital with the same agenda, it gets noticed. Your participation will show the USPS and PRC through your action that you are committed to keeping the mail open for your products. Your questions and comments will reinforce the points I have been making that this is now difficult and proposed changes threaten to make it harder. Your passion and intensity will convey that this industry has terrific growth potential if properly managed, even though the last two years has taken us in completely the wrong direction.”

Please also help generate catalog industry participation from other companies by spreading the word about this Advocacy Forum to your network. This is an important opportunity to do something to help control the external environment that impacts your company’s financial performance for the future!

For more information, visit www.catalogmailersforum.org or contact:

Executive Director: Hamilton Davison
hdavison@catalogmailers.org
Direct telephone: 401-529-8183

Assistant to the Executive Director: Cathy Roden
croden@catalogmailers.org