Founded in 1917, the Direct Marketing Association is a trade association for businesses that focus on direct, database and interactive marketing. The association offers direct online marketing information, catalogs and newsletters and mailing and calling lists preferences. It caters to consultants, catalogers, publishers, Internet marketers, database and teleservices providers and educators. The Direct Marketing Association represents more than 3,600 companies, including the majority of the Fortune 100 companies, as well as nonprofit organizations in the United States. Its education services department conducts over 15 seminars on various direct marketing topics. In addition to more than 10 networking events around the United States, the association organizes over 20 conferences and exhibitions, including the Annual Conference & Exhibition, which is one of the largest gatherings of direct marketing professionals in the world.