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The Direct Selling Association will be on hand this week to help the Today Show kick off their annual Toy Drive. The 15th Annual TODAY Show Holiday Toy Drive will be launched Monday November 24th at 8:30 AM. This will be the fifth year that the DSA has been a part of the annual drive.

The DSA will kick off the drive by presenting the direct selling industry’s donation live in Rockefeller Plaza. Thirty two direct selling companies have come together to donate products to the drive, the total donation coming in at over $9 million dollars in products. Seven of the DSA’s companies will be featured in spots on the TODAY show during the holiday season.

Items donated include books, clothing, toiletries and of course toys for children and families all across the United States. Over the past five years, DSA member companies have donated over $37 million dollars in cash, product and services to the Toy Drive.

This is a a brilliant move on the part of the DSA and the member companies that are a part of this. Given the economic times, network marketing companies are going to continue to thrive as more and more people seek additional forms of income.

The following direct selling companies donated products to this year’s Toy Drive:
4Life
Advocare
Amway
Arbonne
Avon Products, Inc
Blessings Unlimited
Butterfly Worldwide, LLC
Clever Container
Cookie Lee
Creative Memories
CUTCO
DeMarle at Home
DeTech
Essential Bodywear
Fifth Avenue Collection
The Happy Gardener
lia sophia
The Longaberger Company
Mary Kay Inc
National Companies
Nature’s Sunshine
Oxyfresh
The Pampered Chef
PartyLite Gifts
Purse Party, Inc
Shaklee Corporation
Signature HomeStyles
Southern Living at Home
The Southwestern Company
Stampin’ Up!
UDesign Jewelry
Vantel Pearls

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IMN, a software company that specializes in helping direct sales company customize communications solutions for their businesses, has just appointed Sebastian J. Leonardi as their new Vice President of Direct Selling and Multichannel Markets. IMN was founded in 1999 and in 2006 launched PartyPulse, and e-communications service that helps direct selling company better serve their customers.

The position is a brand new one for the company and is reflective of both the growth of the company and of the Direct Selling Industry. As direct sales companies continue to grow and build, the need for more advanced and specialized communications tools has become fundamental for their success.
Leonardi’s experience includes over 15 years in senior management positions, most recently serving as Vice President of Integrated Management Services, the leading management and technology consulting firm for the direct selling industry.

“We are extremely pleased to add such a strong executive to our team,” says David Fish, chief executive officer of IMN. “Sebastian Leonardi’s broad-based experience in management and technology companies for the direct selling, multichannel, financial and healthcare sectors will be invaluable in building our strong momentum in the global marketplace.”

In addition to his impressive resume, Leonardi is a frequent contributor to several direct selling publications as well as a welcome speaker at many industry events. Leonardi also serves as a member of the Direct Selling Association’s Technology Council.

Among their many clients, are some of the leaders in the Direct Selling industry, including Southern Living at Home , Scentsy and Gold Canyon.

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