The Faces of ADP
Get a peek into the lives of our members with the Faces of ADP™. Meet Kari Simpson, President at DMI.

One-on-One with the Founder of Directory Marketing, Inc. and Digital Marketing, Inc.

You are always a friendly, familiar face at the Annual Convention and the Innovation Conferences, Kari.

Tell us why you always attend these ADP events?

I believe ADP is a melting pot of incredibly wise and talented entrepreneurs, many of whom have redefined their directory companies over the past several years. By coming to the Annual Convention and Conferences, I can speak one-on-one with attendees and learn how I can help their businesses continue to grow.

Christian, Bill, Taylor, Kari and Emily Simpson

What behavior or personality trait do you most attribute your success to, and why?

Definitely a positive attitude coupled with hard work. It’s very rare that I can’t find a way to accomplish whatever I set out to do. It helps that I love what I do, have an amazing and talented staff and have been happily married to my husband and business partner Bill for close to 34 years, and we have 3 great kids together!

What is one thing other people would be surprised to learn about you?

Shari and Larry Sparks, Kari’s parents

My dad was the fastest softball pitcher in the world when I was growing up in the 60’s and 70’s and our family of 8 moved ALL of the time as a result, rarely staying in one city for over 6 months. I learned how to adapt at an early age as a result since we moved over 50 times all over the US before I was 16 years old!

Another fun fact: My parents were married for 20 years, divorced for 24 years and remarried in 2001 for another 18 years until my father passed in March of 2019.

What is a work-related accomplishment that you’re really proud of?

I have two answers to this question.

First, was to have successfully diversified our business at DMI by adding a white labeled full-service digital fulfillment agency to our service offerings so that we could continue to grow and provide a higher value for publishers who are ready to add digital solutions to their directory offerings without adding to their staff or overhead.

I was honored with the ADP President’s Award in 2019 at the ADP Conference in New Orleans and am so proud to have been recognized in a sea of deserving industry leaders. I started my career in the yellow pages in 1985 and have seen the industry at its pinnacle as well as through the challenges it has experienced due to the continuing strength of the Internet over the years.

I believe the team at DMI has successfully turned the corner in building a solid future for our company by transitioning our business to include digital fulfillment over the past 9 years. We still manage millions of dollars of national Yellow Pages revenue on behalf of our publishers while continuing to build our Internet revenue which surpassed our print revenue in 2018. We can’t wait for 2020 and are excited for our future!

If you weren’t the President of DMI, what would you be doing?

Regardless of what I was doing, I would be happy doing it. I don’t have the personality that spends time thinking about what if…I’m too busy putting everything I’ve got into what I am doing. I definitely wouldn’t ever make a professional Ultimate Frisbee player but I have a lot of fun playing!

What’s the best way to start your day?

Meet Ellie and Ivy

Letting our pups jump in bed with us to greet us and start our day! They give us so much joy.

They have also become the DMI Office mascots too and go to work with us most days and the staff loves to have them around!

What is your claim to fame?

Christian, Emily and Taylor Simpson

Being the mother of 3 beautiful adult children who are finding their way in this crazy world! All 3 have worked at DMI and helped to build our business whether it was print or digital. Emily, our youngest, is currently a website designer at DMI.

Email info@adp.org if you would like to be interviewed for an upcoming Faces of ADP.