Naperville, Illinois, USA – August 11, 2005 – Joseph M. (Joe) DeCosmo, 40, vice-president-analysis and consulting services, The Allant Group, Naperville, Illinois, assumed the 2005-06 presidency of the Chicago Association of Direct Marketing (CADM) at the group’s 50th annual business meeting on Wednesday, August 10. Moving up from a year’s term as vice president, he became the 51st president of one of the nation’s oldest and largest regional direct marketing associations.

DeCosmo began his involvement in CADM in 1997 as a founding member of the Database Marketing Special Interest Group, which he eventually chaired. He has served as programming chair and general chair of Chicago DM Days & Expo and was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2002.

DeCosmo was founder and president of DeCosmo and Associates from July 1995 through June 2005, when The Allant Group acquired his data mining and market research firm.

He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Lewis University and a Master of Arts degree in Economics, with an emphasis in econometrics and statistics, from The University of Illinois at Chicago. He and his wife, Jodi, and their two daughters live in Palos Heights.

Other CADM officers for 2005-06 are: vice president—Carol White, consultant, CL Associates, Chicago; secretary-treasurer—Michael Becker, vice president-national sales, Mackay Envelope Company. Michelle Blechman, senior research manager, Abbott Laboratories, will serve as immediate past president.

Re-elected to the Board was Steven Kelly director-Interactive Marketing Institute, DePaul University. Newly elected Board members were: Mamta Bhargava, vice president, GE Consumer Finance Partnership; Cyndi Greenglass, president-agency services, Diamond Marketing Solutions; Scott Reeves, vice president, DDB; Maureen Sak, director of advertising and research, Lettuce Entertain You; Jim Sherman, director-direct marketing, Chicago Mercantile Exchange.

Remaining on the Board are Bill Ayres, chairman, DFM Direct, Neysa Bennett, president, Bennett Wheelless Group; and Tony Bombacino, vice president-marketing and client services, Resolution Media.

** Printed with permission of the Chicago Association of Direct Marketing.

About Allant
Allant is a Marketing Optimization solution provider that leverages predictive intelligence, strategic and analytic services and marketing automation to maximize marketing spend productivity, strategy and results for its clients. Founded in 1984, Allant has built core competencies in data management, database services, analytics and strategy which are delivered by highly skilled professionals. For more information on Allant and its products, services and solutions, call 800 367 7311 or visit Allant on-line at www.allantgroup.com.