Tom Coggin
Founder, DataDirect

Datadirect, founded by Tom Coggin in 1989, has evolved into a multichannel direct marketing services company by combining contemporary digital solutions such as personalized URLs, triggered email and variable data printing using high volume digital presses. Datadirect uses these tools to provide data driven personalized messaging for lead generation, promotions, fund raising, recruiting, and direct sales. They serve clients that rely on direct marketing in the financial, advertising, fulfillment, marketing, healthcare, higher education, retail, and nonprofit sectors. Datadirect is currently in the testing phase for launching an e-commerce solution for web to print and web to mail.

Tom was an early adopter of laser printing technology in the late 70’s and moved to Atlanta in 1980 to join Datacopi as Vice President of Marketing and Product Development. He developed enterprise applications for Northern Telecom, Bell South, Life of Virginia, New York Life and State Farm that transformed their traditional typesetting and offset printing process to computer composition and digital printing on demand. Next he led a joint venture with Datacopi and ADP Brokerage to convert brokerage statements for numerous large regional brokers such as Bear Stearns from impact printers to laser printers. In 1985 Tom joined Pandick Press in New York, the world’s largest financial printer at the time, and opened the Atlanta office to provide direct mail services using high volume continuous forms laser printers, cut-sheet laser printers, and intelligent inserting systems.

Tom has been an active member of numerous professional associations during his career and is a firm believer in “giving and getting” value from participating in them. He was one of the original founders of the Atlanta Chapter of the Direct Marketing Association in 1997. He recently completed his term on the Board of the Greater Atlanta Postal Customer Council and he currently serves on the Board of the Printing & Imaging Association of Georgia. He spoke at the 2008 National Mailing & Fulfillment Service Association Conference and at the 2009 ON DEMAND Conference. He helps market events for his local neighborhood association, Morningside Lenox Park Association, as well as for his son’s new restaurant, D.B.A. Barbecue in Virginia Highland. Tom is a graduate of Duke University.