In May of 1991, our Founder, Karen Cuppett Piontkowski, quit her high paying, perk filled, Executive Vice President position at a large Fulfillment, Caging and Lockbox Firm to begin a new firm with the express idea to provide extraordinary support services for Associations, Fundraisers, Publishers and E-commerce Merchants (before the ‘E’—this was the 90s!)

The team, from bottom up, would be professionals in their field, enhancing and growing our client’s organizations by increasing their sales and revenues through continued consultation and by offering superior service to their customers, donors and members. She would impress upon her team how important each of them were and that they understood that with every phone call answered (this was before email!) or every piece prepared, THEY were responsible for the public’s impression of our clients. It would be nonnegotiable that we created a perfect impression and we would hire only team members that were committed to doing whatever it took to make that happen. Likewise, we would only partner with reasonable, ethical and transparent clients that expressed their confidence in our capabilities by entrusting us with their most important asset…their customer, member or donor.

So on June 12, 1991 DirectAnswer, Inc. began. Karen traded in her plush corner office, a slew of assistants and company car (complete with a car phone!) for long days fulfilling orders and stuffing premiums in her living room with just a few clients - some of whom we still have today - one phone, one computer and a stopwatch to ensure she was producing fast enough…all by herself. It was definitely a change, but one she did with a smile as she was that passionate about this work and what she and her team would offer to the industry.