Crossing Pointe: Blair’s Investment Takes Off

Shapiro was promoted to senior vice president of merchandising, and he later held the position of senior vice president/general manager for Lerner’s catalog business.

After leaving Lerner, he created and launched a new catalog for Curtains and Home, a 50-store, home-decor retailer. Then in 1994, he embarked on a career in direct-response TV (DRTV) on cable. He helped launch America’s Health Network, a multichannel marketing endeavor that combined DRTV, catalog and Internet sales. “It was the only health-focused network on the air at the time. We had shows hosted by accredited doctors and a database partnership with the Mayo Clinic,” Shapiro recalls. “And within each hour we had 15-minute merchandise sales segments featuring products consistent with the topics discussed on that hour’s program.”