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WASHINGTON, May 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Twenty five industry leaders who help entrepreneurs market their products via direct response channels came to Capitol Hill to meet with House and Senate Members to discuss legislative issues that affect their industry today. The one-day schedule consisted of a morning session for Electronic Retailing Association (ERA) members to hear directly from other industry leaders as well as hear from Senator Widen (D-OR) who made remarks about legislation he introduced advocating keeping the internet neutral, afternoon meetings with Congressional Members and staff, followed by an early evening reception.
Issues of most concern to direct marketers include imposing the collection of state sales tax on goods sold over the Internet, keeping broadband companies from imposing fees on internet content providers that allow consumers to access information over their wires and protecting the right of consumer privacy over the internet. Direct marketers feel if proposed legislation passes it will discourage innovation and inhibit entrepreneurialism.
"It's exciting to be able to meet directly with legislators about issues important to the electronic retailing industry," said Steve Armstrong, Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Home Shopping Network (HSN).
The electronic retailing industry, which includes infomercials, live shopping channels, radio marketers and online retailers, accounted for more than $296 billion among consumer purchasing in 2004.
ERA members meeting with Capitol Hill include:
* Toni Knight, Founder & CEO, Worldlink, Los Angeles, CA
* Roger Aull, Bosley Inc.
* Jon Congdon, President, Product Partners LLC, Beverly Hills, CA
* Dan Danielson, CEO, Mercury Media, Santa Monica, CA
* Jeff Tuller, President, Savvier, Carlsbad, CA
* Chris Gassett, Match.Com, Dallas, TX
* Greg Anderson, Texas
* Rick Petry, Downstream, Oregon
* Spencer Brown, Euro RSCG, Oregon
* Steve Armstrong, Home Shopping Network (HSN), Tampa, FL
* Linda Kalm, Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Worldlink, Los
Angeles, CA
* Craig Shandler, Senior Vice President, The Sylmark Group, Los Angeles,
CA
* Steve Netzley, President & COO, Euro RSCG DRTV, Carlsbad, CA
* Patrick McKenna, VP Business Development, LiveOps, Los Angeles, CA
* Ben Fadavi, Vice President, Capital Media, Inc, Mission Viejo, CA
* JT Thome, Vice President of E-Commerce, Jewelry Television, Knoxville,
TN
* Katie Colocotronis, Corporate Counsel, Jewelry Television, Knoxville,
TN
* Greg West, Jewelry Television
* Mark Stenberg, CEO, Iceland Health, Inc., Mattituck, NY
* Linda Goldstein, Partner, Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP, New York, NY
* Maria Kennedy, VP, Discovery Communications, Inc., New York, NY
* Bill Heberer, Manatt Phelps & Phillips LLP, New York, NY
* Tonda Mullis, CEO, MarketRights International, Newtown, CT
* Jeff Knowles, Partner, Venable LLP, Washington, DC
* Rod Kempkes, Executive VP, West Corporation, Omaha, NE
* Ed Garrubo, CEO, Creative Commerce, LLC, West Chester, PA
* Nathan Fagre, Sr VP and General Counsel, ShopNBC/ValueVision, Eden
Prairie, MN
ABOUT THE ELECTRONIC RETAILING ASSOCIATION
The Washington DC-based Electronic Retailing Association is the trade association involved in multi-channel electronic marketing, including infomercials, short-form commercials, live shopping channels, the Internet and radio, representing a $296 billion market.
