Deborah Fine, President & CEO, Direct Brands Inc. Announces West Coast Expansion Plans

APPOINTS WEST COAST EXECUTIVE TEAM TO DRIVE GROWTH OF ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS

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Feb 01, 2011, 06:00 ET

NEW YORK, Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Deborah Fine, President and CEO of Direct Brands Inc., the leading direct-to-consumer club network for DVDs, books and recorded music whose holdings include 24 multi-platform businesses such as Columbia House, Book-of-the-Month Club, Doubleday Book Club and Literary Guild, has announced the opening of the company's first West Coast office in Los Angeles. The office will serve as the West Coast base for Direct Brands and Columbia House, providing local support to partner more closely with the entertainment industry, akin to the New York office support for book publishing partners.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110201/NY39306 )

In addition, Fine announced the appointment of Beth Goss, Executive Vice President, Entertainment, who will be based in the new LA office. Fine also announced the appointment of Jenn Feldman, Vice President Sales/Public Relations, who will be based in LA while supporting all Direct Brands locations.

"To be a player in the entertainment industry, it is critical to have a presence in Los Angeles," says Fine. "Our new office in Century City, led by a respected industry veteran, will allow us to interface with the studios on a regular basis and stay ahead of what is happening in this vibrant industry. Our objective is for the studios to leverage us as a business and marketing partner and a non-traditional retailer to help drive their growth. This office and its leadership will be of key value to our business initiatives," she adds.

According to Fine, Beth Goss will drive monetization of the current business model as well as lead the go–forward strategy for the home entertainment business. Goss will also be responsible for leading West Coast business development efforts, where her focus will be products and partnerships associated with the entertainment industry.

Goss is a talented executive with 20 years of entertainment experience and an across-the-board understanding of the industry. Most recently she served as Managing Partner for 8.Eight Entertainment, where she worked with clients to successfully identify and maximize distribution opportunities for entertainment properties, developing long-term revenue growth strategies. Prior, she held the role of EVP at Turner Broadcasting, responsible for Cartoon Network's Ad Sales, Marketing and Enterprises Group. Goss also spent 7 years in executive marketing/licensing roles at NBC-Universal.

Jenn Feldman is a seasoned Public Relations professional with comprehensive knowledge of brand positioning. Feldman was most recently a partner in bluPRrint Public Relations, a full-service Public Relations agency representing lifestyle and entertainment clients. She was the head of West Coast Public Relations for iVillage at NBC Universal Digital as well as holding senior PR roles at Victoria's Secret, PINK and mark., a division of Avon Products, where she played an instrumental role in the successful launch of these brands/product lines. Ms. Feldman also ran PR for Avon's beComing.

"It has been an important and exciting year for Direct Brands as we continue to drive the business forward, by working closely with our core partners, as well as celebrating a new and diverse portfolio of over 20 best-in-class Business Development partners from leading corporations in multiple categories and platforms," Fine explains. "We are making important strides – having an LA presence led by strong, respected executives is an integral part of our overall growth strategy."

Direct Brands Inc. is the largest direct-to-consumer club network for DVDs, books and recorded music in the U.S. The company is home to 24 multi-platform businesses including market-leading DVD, book and music club brands as Columbia House, Doubleday Book Club, Book-of-the-Month Club and a number of special interest and lifestyle clubs. The company serves more than 8 million members in the U.S. through its various club catalogs and online.

www.columbiahouse.com, www.booksonline.com and www.yourmusic.com.

SOURCE Direct Brands Inc.