Timothy R. Hawthorne Named 2006 Electronic Retailing Association Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Fairfield, Iowa –hawthorne direct, the direct response TV advertising agency, is proud to announce Timothy R. Hawthorne was named the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) Lifetime Achievement Award 2006 recipient at ERA’s annual industry meeting in Las Vegas.

“It is an honor to be recognized with the ERA Lifetime Achievement Award. I am truly humbled,” said Timothy R. Hawthorne, founder, chairman and executive creative director of hawthorne direct. The ERA Lifetime Achievement Award is the most prestigious award given in the direct response industry. This honor is bestowed only when someone's cumulative contributions are so significant to warrant this honor. Hawthorne was only the fifth person in ERA’s history to ever be given the Lifetime Achievement Award. Past recipients include celebrity and entrepreneur, Suzanne Somers; Greg Renker, co-founding principal of Guthy-Renker; Joseph Segal, chairman, owner and founder of QVC; and posthumously to Mike Levy of "Amazing Discoveries" fame.

The award was presented by previous recipient, Greg Renker, at ERA’s annual awards gala on the evening of September 12th. A moving video tribute, created by Hawthorne’s staffers Robert Lemlin, Matt Schara, Randal K. West, Karla Crawford Kerr and Sarah Ledger, was shown.

The video tribute included testimonials attesting to Tim Hawthorne’s greatness, featuring Barbara Tulipane, David Oreck, Carl Cooper, Rick Petry, Jeff Knowles, Tony Kerry, Jim Caldwell, Kevin Harrington, Forbes Riley, Dan Danielson and Beau Rials.

Hawthorne was given two standing ovations and several rounds of applause as he delivered a poignant acceptance speech. He thanked some of his long-term employees, Bob Moore, Mark E. Ratner, Thomas Kelly, Gene Silverman, Robert Lemlin and additionally his core team of Randal K. West, Rich Contino, Kristi Moran, Sarah Ledger and Karla Crawford Kerr.

Several times he thanked and made reference to his mother Marjie McFarland, and he offered special mentions of his daughter, Jessica Hawthorne Castro, and son-in-law, Jimmy Castro. He recognized his wife, Laya Schaetzel Hawthorne, as the love of his life, for her tireless support. He thanked his partners Script to Screen, Waldorf-Crawford and Future Thunder Productions. Additionally he thanked his competitors and the industry.

“For 22 years, Hawthorne has been a major architect and pioneer in the DRTV industry, with an unsurpassed reputation for leadership, vision and integrity,” said CEO/President of hawthorne direct Thomas Kelly.

Hawthorne’s path to advertising began in Africa in 1970. In Ethiopia, while teaching sciences to secondary school kids, he began shooting photos of the beautiful amazing people and countryside of East Africa. After graduating in psychology from Harvard in 1973, Hawthorne returned to his hometown of Minneapolis and was hired as a Production Assistant for the CBS affiliate’s documentary unit, nationally renowned for winning prestigious awards such as the Peabody and Columbia Dupont. While there, working his way up to Cinematographer/Editor, then Producer/Writer/Director, Hawthorne learned the documentary fundamentals of how to tell a compelling story in long form. After producing and directing at the NBC affiliate in Philadelphia, Hawthorne was invited to join the Directors Guild of America in 1980. In 1982 he moved to Los Angeles and started his own production company, producing, directing and writing for such early network “reality” programs as “Real People” and “That’s Incredible.”

In October 1984, the modern era of Infomercials had just been born. Hawthorne was invited to the Iowa town of Fairfield to executive produce one of the first Long Form Infomercials of the modern era, an Infomercial that would go on to generate $60 million in revenues in just 15 months. During this time, Hawthorne assisted with another company’s growth from 25 to 525 staff, implemented the first Long Form media computer analysis system in the industry, mentored many of the DRTV industry’s current success stories and developed multiple Infomercial creative formulas, standards and techniques.

Deciding next to implement his own vision, Hawthorne founded the first Infomercial advertising agency in June 1986 -- hawthorne direct inc. Hawthorne had a mission: to make Long Form DRTV a part of every major advertiser’s Brand marketing mix. Now, 20 years later, the DRTV industry is a $150 billion business, with Fortune 500 companies as diverse as GM, P&G and Microsoft using this compelling, accountable marketing strategy. And hawthorne direct has grown to become one of the premiere companies for full-service DRTV advertising, with 75 staff members, offices in a half dozen cities, over $135 million in billings and clients such as the U.S. Navy, Time-Life, Nissan, Oreck, Lawn-Boy, Bose, Wagner, Nikon, Bosch, Evinrude, and many other Brand Names and entrepreneurs alike.

Along the way, Hawthorne was one of the original co-founders of the Electronic Retailing Association, delivered enthusiastic speeches about DRTV in a dozen countries world wide, guest lectured at Princeton University, wrote the definitive textbook on Long Form DRTV and was named one of the “25 Most Influential People in DRTV” and USA Today’s Midwest “Entrepreneur of the Year.” Published author, entrepreneur and sought-after speaker, Hawthorne is unequivocally a distinguished pioneer of the DRTV industry, and a true humanitarian.

Every year a percent of hawthorne direct’s profits are given to local and national causes. Hawthorne donated tens of thousands of dollars to support hurricane Katrina relief efforts. And recently, he and wife, Laya Schaetzel Hawthorne, traveled around the world, producing a pro bono documentary for the non-profit volunteer organization, WorldTeach.

Kelly said, “ Hawthorne has set the gold standard for professionalism, intelligence, integrity and generosity in the DRTV industry. He’s a man with a pioneering spirit -- a true visionary who has the passion, courage and talent to help create and inspire an entire industry.”

hawthorne direct is a full-service direct response advertising agency, specializing in creative and production, Long- and Short-form media buying, telemarketing/fulfillment management and integrated marketing. hawthorne is celebrating 20 years of excellence in direct response television. The agency is a founding member of the Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) and valued member of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and the DMA Broadcast Council.