IRVINE, Calif., August 12, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- The executive principally responsible for establishing Nordstrom's reputation for customer service, the founder of Warner Bros.' Feature Animation Division and the former vice chairman and chief financial officer of Dayton Hudson Corp. (now Target Corp.) are among the executives serving as charter members of BDS Marketing's new Board of Advisors.
BDS Marketing, a sales and marketing firm that has become a significant force in industries ranging from packaged goods and apparel to consumer electronics, established the Board of Advisors to gain senior-level counsel and an independent perspective on an array of strategic, operational and financial issues.
"We're thrilled to have attracted such a diverse group of accomplished executives," said Beverly Ham, the firm's chairman and chief executive officer. "Their experience, expertise, insights and relationships will be an invaluable asset as we take the company to its next level of development."
The new Board of Advisors meets with Ham and BDS President Mark Dean on a quarterly basis, assisting management in a variety of capacities. (Individual members are also "on call" to consult and help troubleshoot on specific issues.) The Board scrutinizes the firm's financial performance, evaluates its strategic direction, and offers solutions to an array of operational, human resource and business development challenges.
"These are high-powered individuals who won't hesitate to confront us, and who are not afraid to share their candid opinions," said Ham. "We're getting some of the best advice available."
Bill Hawfield, a management consultant and executive coach with extensive experience creating and managing advisory boards, played an instrumental role in establishing the Board and recruiting its members. He said the firm took great care in selecting and recruiting Advisory Board members.
"BDS had strict criteria for evaluating prospective members," said Hawfield. "The firm wanted individuals who were accomplished in their respective fields, whose expertise complements the firm's existing capabilities, and who enjoy relationships with influential executives throughout corporate America."
Hawfield serves on the Board and acts as facilitator during its quarterly meetings. The other Board members are:
Betsy Sanders. Sanders previously was vice president and general manager of Nordstrom, Inc., where she had full responsibility for the company's largest and most profitable division: Southern California. The author of Fabled Service: Ordinary Acts, Extraordinary Outcomes, she currently serves as a director of several public companies, including Wal-Mart Stores, Washington Mutual and Wellpoint Health Networks.
Henry T. DeNero. DeNero was formerly chairman and chief executive officer of Homespace, Inc. and before that executive vice president and member of the Corporate Executive Committee for First Data Corporation. He previously served as vice chairman and CFO of Dayton Hudson Corp. and spent 20 years in the Los Angeles office of McKinsey & Company. He currently is a member of the Western Digital, Banta Corp., Digital Insight and THQ Inc. boards of directors.
Michael Laney. Laney, who currently serves as principal of management consulting firm Laney & Associates, established Warner Bros.' Feature Animation Division and before that served as vice president, operations for The Walt Disney Company's Feature Animation Division. He formerly was senior vice president, chief operating officer and chief financial officer for Monarch Mirror Door Company, and previously was vice president and corporate controller for Ducommun Inc.
Michael Lee Malamut. Malamut is best known for creating and leading Autoland, the premier credit union auto-buying service with 70 locations and more than $400 million in annual sales. He has also owned several automobile dealerships and today owns Vespa Motorscooter dealerships in four major California cities. In addition, Malamut is a successful real estate investor. His current portfolio of 25 properties includes shopping centers and office buildings in Texas and California.
Thomas Roche. Roche currently is executive vice president of sales for Schwartzkopp & Dep, a division of Henkel Corp., and previously served as vice president responsible for integrating sales, marketing and operations teams at Leiner Health Products. Before that he spent almost two decades with Warner-Lambert Company, where he served in a variety of senior-level sales and product management positions and eventually led business teams responsible for $1.5 billion in annual sales. He was selected to head the sales integration effort when Warner-Lambert merged with Pfizer in 2000.
About BDS Marketing
BDS Marketing, Inc. is one of the nation's leading sales and marketing service firms. Founded in 1984 as a field marketing agency, BDS has since helped pioneer the field of Point of Contact Marketing(TM), which involves the skillful orchestration of a diverse array of tactics in order to reach consumer and retail audiences one on one. The firm's services include assisted selling programs, demonstrations, event marketing, sales promotion, training, merchandising and field intelligence. BDS Marketing's campaigns are deployed to drive sell-through, mindshare and customer acquisition.
BDS Marketing delivers measurable results for clients including Canon USA, Time Warner, Cingular, Motorola, InFocus, Sony, Verizon, Thomson, Ralphs and Sharp Electronics. BDS Marketing is based in Irvine, Calif.