The DMA Lays Off 7% of Headquarters Staff May 30, 2001 12:00 PM
, Paul Miller
JobZone
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New York—The Direct Marketing Association on May 29
laid off 14—or 7%--of its headquarters staff. President/CEO Bob
Wientzen calls the layoffs "not a big deal." Most of the DMA’s
operating units had only one or two layoffs; the conference/seminar
department had the majority of casualties.
Specifically, the staff cuts were caused by three factors:
* a downturn in attendance at some of its seminars—and the
subsequent cancellation of some seminar dates;
* the conversion of some seminars to the Internet; and
* the outsourcing of some of its conference registration.
Wientzen wouldn’t reveal the names of the laid-off staffers
due to privacy considerations, nor would he specify which seminars were
being cancelled. But he noted that most of the cancelled dates would be
repeats of earlier seminars, such as the Basic Direct Marketing class,
which has been the DMA’s most popular seminar. As for those
seminars cut altogether, Wientzen says, "We’re always adding and
subtracting titles—nothing out of the ordinary." He adds,
however, that "we’re adding fewer new subjects because of the
softness in the economy."
The DMA will also try to hold more seminars outside the New York
area "to reduce the amount of travel that people have to do to get to
our events," Wientzen says. Instead, more seminars will take place in
such cities as Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, and Washington.
Wientzen says he doubts another round of layoffs will be necessary.
"If the economy goes in the tank, we’d have to rethink it. But we
have no plans for further reductions. We feel this is adequate to get
us through the current fuss, and if the economy comes back, we’ll
either rehire these people or fill these jobs if they’re not
available."
On the flip side, Wientzen says, the organization’s membership
growth "is terrific." With more than 5,000 members, the DMA has
increased membership more than 8% during the past year, slightly ahead
of the agency’s target for the year.
