MMPI Welcomes Nancy Michael, Senior Marketing and Strategy Directory For Gift & Home Decor Industry

CHICAGO (December 14, 2010) – MMPI is pleased to welcome Nancy Michael as Senior Marketing and Strategy Director for the Gift & Home Décor industry, effective January 3, 2011. In her new role, Michael will be based in Chicago working directly with Trisha Schultz, Marketing Director and the entire Chicago Market team, as well as coordinating and leveraging marketing activity across all three locations; Los Angeles, Chicago and New York.

She will be working with our management teams for the California Gift Show, The Chicago Market and 7 W in the development, coordination, and implementation of all marketing efforts, which include advertising, special events, public relations, websites, direct mail programs, sponsorships, mailing lists, buyer relationships, directories and trade show cross-marketing for the industry.

Michael brings with her a vast array of knowledge and experience in the gift and home industries through her marketing role with a major manufacturer. Her unique perspective will be beneficial to attendees, permanent showrooms and temporary exhibitors. As Senior Marketing and Strategy Director, Michael will tap into her existing relationships with industry partners, work with existing and potential MMPI customers and draw on her own experience to help guide strategic planning for the properties.

“Nancy Michael has the rare ability to bridge left and right brain thinking,” said Joan Ulrich, senior vice president, MMPI. “She is hard driving, analytical and results orientated, while at the same time, she values building relationships, thinking creatively and pushing the envelope. She is a successful industry veteran and we are thrilled to welcome her to the MMPI team.”

“I am excited to be joining the MMPI team. I have had the pleasure of working with MMPI’s great professionals throughout my career in the gift industry and have already developed a number of strong working relationships,” said Nancy Michael, senior marketing and strategy director, MMPI. “I look forward to the opportunity to bring my strengths to the MMPI team and to the accomplishments we can achieve!”

Prior to joining MMPI, Michael served as the Director of Marketing for tag, ltd., for the last decade. In that role, Michael worked on every major tag initiative from launching new product categories to growing the tag brand. Prior to her role as Director of Marketing, Michael served as tag’s Eastern Regional Sales Manager, where she managed all of the company’s independent manufacturer rep agencies east of the Mississippi, and was responsible for the relationships with independent retail accounts and other key accounts. Prior to working for tag, Michael worked as the Sales Manager for the Chicago-based company, Chefwear.