The combined elements of creative vision and business strategy comprise the company that is Thane International, headquartered in La Quinta, CA. William F. Hay, chairman and CEO, and Denise DuBarry Hay, Chief Creative Officer, are co-founders of one of the world's foremost direct marketing and wholesale distributing companies.

Thane's successful business enterprise is directly related to the promotion of unique, first-rate products and the company's commitment to its customers. "One of Thane's primary goals is to offer innovative, high-quality products and to make our customers very satisfied with our service and products," DuBarry Hay states.

Thane's distribution channels in the United States, and through its 186 international distributors and strategic partners in 80 countries around the world, include direct response TV, home shopping channels, catalogs, retail, print advertising, credit card inserts, and the Internet, making it one of the largest direct response and retail marketing companies in the world. In addition, Thane develops and acquires products, arranges low-cost manufacturing, and plans the marketing strategy.

A significant portion of Thane's success may be attributed to the business climate of the Coachella Valley. A dedicated business community that is supportive of local development, the valley helped foster much of Thane's growth.

In return, Thane expresses its appreciation of, and commitment to the Coachella community by contributing to Martha's Village and Kitchen, Women in Film and Television, and the Palm Springs Film Festival. "It is important to give back, especially when we are so blessed," DuBarry Hay says.

In fact when DuBarry Hay and Hay won the Ernst & Young 1998 Entrepreneur of the Year award for the Inland Empire region Hay gave much credit to the desert. "There has never been a day when we have regretted moving here and doing business here," says Hay. "The desert has allowed us to build a great team of good people."

Having worked in front of the camera as an actress in the 1970s and 80s, DuBarry Hay followed her entrepreneurial spirit and began developing feature films. DuBarry Hay's business savvy led her to perfect skills in securing funds and organizing specialized partnerships. This experience provided the knowledge to develop and market her first infomercial in 1987 - "Play the Piano Overnight" - a video that became the model for the popular Overnight Music-Instruction Series. "I decided to create and produce an infomercial and take the marketing into my own hands. It was a huge hit," DuBarry Hay recalls.

The success and popularity of this premier infomercial prompted DuBarry Hay to partner with Hay in 1990 to form Thane International. Hay's experience in building companies and organizing a strong management team balanced DuBarry Hay's talent for selecting products and creating successful marketing messages. As Chief Creative Officer, DuBarry Hay determines which products to take to market, how to position them, what type of offer to create and who to cast in the infomercial. With a background in the entertainment industry, Bill Hay adds to the formula broad business acumen.

As a director of the Electronic Retailing Association, DuBarry Hay is a respected industry leader. He is the visionary and driving force for Thane's continued placement as a leader in the direct response industry. She was the Executive Producer of the live awards gala for the Annual ERA Convention and Expo in 2003, 2002, and 2001. As a result of her involvement and dedication with ERA she was presented with the 2002 Volunteer of the Year award.

Thane International brands include Thane Housewares, Thane Fitness, California Beauty and Ageless Wonders.

To maintain a competitive edge while serving the global market, Thane has offices worldwide: Thane Direct, an international division in Toronto; European markets in Frankfurt and London; DRTV Sales in La Quinta; Thane Direct Response Group in Tampa: Thane Distribution Group in Philadelphia; and Concept and Product Solutions (CAPS), a product-development team in Santa Monica.

In 1996, Thane launched a retail Internet site that has reaped prestigious awards. The Electronic Retailing Association lists Thane International as one of the "Best Websites". It is also ranked No. 1 for e-commerce for as-seen-on-TV products. The marketing and selling of products on Thane's Website has garnered a high customer response, with more than 10 million visitors each month.

With such a diverse business portfolio, the future success of Thane International is guaranteed.

Visit www.thane.com for additional information or contact 760-777-0217.

California Desert Resort Cities - Reflections & Visions 2003