CTAM Proffers Rainmakers, TAMIs

The Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing announced the names of 11 executives who will be honored for their efforts to help grow the industry at the group’s annual CTAM Summit next month.

The group’s Rainmaker Awards are given to association members who support its primary corporate growth initiatives. This year’s honorees in the category are:

Gary Dusa, director of sales development for Insight Communications, for his role in pushing the “Cable Movers Hotline” program industry-wide and guiding his company’s 26% increase in call volume from 2005 to 2006; Ellen East, vice president of communications and public affairs for Cox Communications, for strategic leadership on multiple CTAM committees, culminating in three years as co-chair of the Integrated Communications Committee; Robert Faught, senior vice president, retail sales for Comcast, for his leadership of the Retail Committee, which has expanded service via consumers and store representative research; Andre Martineau, senior director of business solutions for Advance/Newhouse Communications, for four years of leadership on the Business Services Council, including development of the Best Practices Subcommittee; Stacy Melle, vice president of marketing, NBC Universal Digital Distribution, for three years of leadership on the On Demand Consortium, which led to the development of consumer research and best marketing practices; and David Pugliese, vice president of product marketing at Cox, for launching and leading the telephone committee by recruiting participants from cable operators that led to the expansion of programs to serve division and field executives.

The TAMI Awards are given to executives in recognition of exceptional volunteer service and leadership to the organization, tied to the development of events and programs. This year’s honorees are: Daniel Fischer, president, Solve It Group, for research support behind CTAM’s multiphase “Broadband Study”; Shawn Gannon, vice president, national affiliate marketing, Playboy Entertainment, for launching the CTAM Midwest chapter, which replaced several standalone outfits and brought together organizations in eight states; Jo Holz, vice president, news research, NBC Universal, for her co-leadership of the record-breaking 2007 Research Conference, which focused on the theme “Now It’s Personal: Cable Inside, Outside & Beyond the Box”; Laura Masse, executive vice president, marketing, Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movie Channel, for her volunteer work on the 2005, 2006 and 2007 Summits and efforts to produce sessions on brand marketing and creative aimed at increasing the organization’s service to consumer marketers; and Domenic Vivolo, senior vice president, marketing and sales, Astral Television Networks, for his strategic leadership of CTAM Canada, including the creation of new chapter benefits, such as InTouch, a north-of-the-border version of the organization’s Pulse report.

The 2007 Rainmaker and TAMI Awards will be presented at the CTAM Summit, scheduled for July 24 and 25 in Washington, D.C.