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Bill McCurry is no stranger to Australian photo retailers. His visits to stores around Australia have always left both parties with new ideas of how to improve business. He is a very worthy inductee of the PMA Hall of Fame.
JACKSON, Mich. - PMA, the Worldwide Community of Imaging Associations, announces the 2012 PMA Hall of Fame inductee is William J. "Bill" McCurry, who has shown lifelong dedication to the advancement of the photo specialty dealer. The award is the highest honor of the association. The recipients are selected by the PMA Board of Trustees based on career success and their role in the advancement of the photo imaging industry. McCurry will be honored during the Official Business Session, Tuesday, Jan. 10, 8:30 - 10:00 a.m., at the Venetian, Las Vegas, Nev.
Bill McCurry started as a young high-school entrepreneur, raising funds for his trip to the World Scout Jamboree in Greece by speaking at Rotary Clubs. He also worked in the diverse family business, the McCurry Cos., before heading to college and to the Army.
After the Army, he went back to McCurry's, working in many areas in McCurry's diverse organization. The Sacramento, Calif.-based business sold school supplies which included janitorial and audio visual; installed complete photo labs, dictating equipment, language labs, video studios, hallmark cards and gifts and, yes, operated photo labs.
Bill's uncle, Harold J. "Bob" McCurry was PMA President in 1975 and, in 1979, he and Bill's dad, Robert O. McCurry, retired. During the 1980s, the company embraced new markets, like one-hour photofinishing, and was named Dealership of the Year in 1985 by Photo Trade News. In 1990, the photo operations of McCurry's were sold to Kit's Cameras. McCurry had been teaching part time at Golden Gate University Graduate School of Management, and soon gave him a full-time teaching load. Former students called and asked for consultations; Thus McCurry Associates, now based in Princeton, N.J., came into being.
Bill is a regular speaker for PMA conventions and division meetings. Among the books he wrote for PMA included, with the help of co-authors, Guerrilla Marketing For The Imaging Industry and Guerrilla Management For The Imaging Industry. The popularity of these best sellers led to updated sequels Digital Guerrilla Marketing and It's Your People . . . Really!
The first Marketing Idea Exchange was at PMA 2002 in Orlando, Fla., and he has led Marketing Idea Exchanges at PMA events in New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and the United States. The McCurry Marketing Idea Exchange, edited by Chris Lydle, is published 10 months a year, sharing ideas and bringing great minds together to grow sales and profits of the industry.
He is a regular contributor to the DIMAcast podcast, where he uncovers marketing ideas from well-known and not yet known entities throughout the imaging world. His work for the Photographic Research Organization (PRO) includes answering questions for prospective members and programming their annual July convention agenda, which last year included 105 speakers over 2-1/2 days.
McCurry is married to Cathy, and they have a daughter, Rene.
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