Our History

In 1980, Ray Fagan was busily working toward his MBA when he received a phone call that would change his life. His friend Jack Hatchett, who had been organizing political campaigns, called to ask Ray if he’d like to start an agency of their own. Ray decided to take a short sabbatical to help Jack – and he’s on that sabbatical to this day!

They used direct mail to announce the birth of the new agency – and it worked! Within the first few months, HF Direct began developing fundraising solicitations for a non–profit account, as well as communication strategies for political campaigns.

Both fundraising and political campaigns are data–driven, providing fertile ground for the growth of a direct marketing agency. In politics, you win or lose. There is no second place. And with fundraising, you must meet your return on investment to continue.

Although business was good, the agency decided to develop relationships with for–profit businesses to meet its growth goals. Financial organizations were hungry to grow business. And, HF Direct had a unique expertise that offered financial markets an edge – leveraging databases to identify opportunities. In addition, the agency’s skill in communicating through copy and graphics translated easily to other markets.

Today, HF Direct works with a wide mix of businesses. While the agency continues to work with many financial service organizations, the client list now includes retail, telecommunication, and information companies – all with a common thread: they are data and brand driven.