Catalog Success recognizes four industry professionals named to the top honors among catalogers.

By Reported Donna Loyle

A $495 direct response ad in Seventeen magazine brought in $32,000 in orders. Such was the start of one of the most famous catalog success stories ever told.

Last year, the company that Vernon founded received more than 4 million orders. Lillian Vernon Corp., comprised of seven catalog titles, two Web sites and 14 retail outlet stores, brought in $238 million in sales in fiscal 2003. Recently, Vernon sold her company and will step away from its day-to-day operations, but she remains involved in merchandising and being the public face of the company, and is truly one of the catalog industry’s pioneers.