Two e-mail organizations become one

The Direct Marketing Association has agreed to acquire the Email Experience Council LLC and merge it with the DMA’s Email Marketing Council. The combined organization will use the name Email Experience Council and have more than 400 members.

“In just one year, the EEC has become an important destination for marketers to interact (virtually and in person) on e-mail marketing and the enormous opportunities this media offers marketers,” says Jeanniey Mullen, EEC founder and senior partner and executive director for global e-mail marketing at advertising agency OgilvyOne Worldwide. “This is about coming together and building a powerhouse that will lead the next phase of e-mail marketing.”

Mullen and Michael Della Penna, chief marketing officer for customer relationship firm Epsilon and chair of DMA’s Email Marketing Council, will serve as co-executive chairs of the combined organization. Stephanie Miller, vice president for strategic services at e-mail delivery specialist Return Path, will serve as vice-chair and lead the integration process.

Current EEC members that are not members of the Direct Marketing Association will be offered six months of free access to DMA member-only resources and a 50% discount on the first year of membership.

The Washington, D.C.-based Direct Marketing Association is a trade association for businesses and nonprofit organizations that use direct marketing techniques. Its membership includes 3,600 companies.