Marketing services company Infogroup has created two divisions, Yesmail Interactive and enterprise marketing services, to focus on digital and data-oriented services, respectively.
Clare Hart, CEO of Infogroup, said the Omaha, Neb.-based company established the units to quickly serve three types of clients: those who only want digital services, those who only want data services, and those seeking both.
“The [creation of the divisions] was driven by customers and the focus we need to put on responding rapidly to them,” she said. “We’re looking at the world in terms of three clients: data services, digital services and the marketer who uses both. We need to quickly respond to the requirements of all of our unique customers.”
In April, Infogroup was reorganized into three divisions: Infogroup, which handles all data and marketing products and services; ORC International, an Infogroup company, which manages engagement research and consulting services in the US and internationally; and OneSource, an Infogroup company, which handles business information services. Infogroup sold ORC to a private equity firm in July.
Enterprise marketing services and Yesmail Interactive are subsections of what was originally the overarching Infogroup division.
Hart would not reveal how many employees work in each division. When asked how the divisions function for clients requiring both data and digital services, Hart said both groups will “serve enterprise clients through internal collaboration.”
Michael Fisher will serve as president of Yesmail Interactive. He will be responsible for developing and growing Infogroup’s email, mobile and social marketing applications.
“He’ll be making sure we have the right [digital] products in the marketplace,” said Hart.
Don Patrick will serve as president and COO of the enterprise marketing solutions division. He will develop products and go-to-market strategy and work on client-account management and service delivery. Patrick will also focus on “excellence in client experience for marketing solutions customers,” said Hart.
Both Fisher and Patrick will report to Hart. They will each directly oversee four employees who are VP- and director-level.
Patrick served as SVP of managed services at Alterian from April 2010 to August 2011. He held several positions at Merkle from 1997 to 2010, most recently as the company’s EVP and COO.
Fisher most recently served as SVP of sales and marketing for the Americas at Alterian from 2008 to 2011. Prior to that, he worked as VP and GM of financial services at Epsilon.
Hart said the company found both executives using Infogroup recruiters.
Asked whether Infogroup tried to fill the positions internally, Hart said: “We looked in the industry for people who have industry experience.”
“We have been bringing in a lot of talent that is technology and data-oriented,” she said. “We strived for executives steeped in integrated marketing services.”
The Yesmail Interactive and enterprise marketing services divisions will complement Infogroup’s current small- and mid-size business and data services unit and OneSource business division.
Infogroup consolidated five of its data and marketing services brands into a single sales organization within the Infogroup division in May. The consolidated unit comprised former subsidiaries Direct Media Millard, Donnelley Marketing, Edith Roman Associates, Walter Karl and Yesmail.
Mike Hilts, president of Infogroup Interactive, was removed from his position as part of the May consolidation. At the time, an Infogroup representative declined to comment on whether Hilts would be replaced or if the position would be eliminated.
