September 1, 2021

Data Axle Acquires Lake Group Media and DonorBase

Combination enhances multi-channel marketing capabilities and powerful data sets including two leading nonprofit cooperative databases under one roof

DALLAS – September 1, 2021 — Data Axle, a leading provider of data, data-driven marketing and real-time intelligence solutions, today announced that it has acquired two companies, media buying and sales agency Lake Group Media, Inc and DonorBase, Inc, a leading nonprofit cooperative database. As a result of the acquisition, Data Axle will now own two of the industry’s leading donor databases for nonprofits – DonorBase and Apogee –
effectively elevating its solutions and level of service to marketers in the sector.

“We welcome Lake Group Media’s and DonorBase’s talented teams to Data Axle and envision very little change to day-to-day operations,” said Data Axle Chairman and CEO Michael Iaccarino. “We will now offer enhanced combined data sets going forward that will power our clients’ marketing programs with data processing, data appends, award-winning omnichannel campaign design and execution, analytical services, and enhanced modeling for acquisition and retention programs for our Lake Group Media and DonorBase clients. These acquisitions truly bolster our leadership position in the space.”

“We are excited to bring DonorBase and Lake Group Media’s industry leading capabilities in donor acquisition and list management into the Data Axle Nonprofit division. We plan to retain DonorBase as a separate nonprofit cooperative database from our existing Apogee database, and it will remain under its current brand,” said Niely Shams, President of Nonprofit Solutions at Data Axle. “It’s fantastic timing, as we recently announced the appointment of Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity to Data Axle’s board of directors, and we will continue to deepen our commitment to the nonprofit sector.”

Lake Group Media has deep roots in data and has maintained its reputation as leaders in the field for over 40 years. Following a change in ownership in 2001, that rich history of experience served as a launching pad for two decades of growth and innovation including the launch of DonorBase in 2007. Under the leadership of Ryan and Karen Lake, Lake Group Media became a thriving full-service direct mail and digital marketing agency and DonorBase became a well-established category leader in the nonprofit cooperative database sector.

“Data Axle is a leader in data-driven solutions for commercial and nonprofit organizations across the country, and we’re proud that Lake Group Media and DonorBase will now join the company,” said Lake Group Media CEO Ryan Lake. “Our capabilities are aligned; we share a commitment to making sure marketers have the very best data-driven solutions and services. We felt that Data Axle was the best long-term permanent home for both Lake Group Media and DonorBase. Karen and I are dedicated to working with our team along with Data Axle’s management to ensure a smooth transition for our clients and partners.”

Following the acquisition, Data Axle will gradually sunset the Lake Group Media brand, while DonorBase will continue to operate independently and maintain its brand.

This news follows Data Axle’s acquisition of Exact Data, a leading provider of multi-channel direct marketing solutions, solidifying the company’s growth across enterprise, small-to-medium business and nonprofit.

About Data Axle
Data Axle is a leading provider of data, data-driven marketing and real-time business intelligence solutions for enterprise, small business, nonprofit and political organizations. The company’s solutions enable clients to acquire and retain customers and enhance their user experiences through proprietary business and consumer data, artificial intelligence/machine learning models, innovative software applications and expert professional services. Data Axle’s cloud-based platform delivers data and data updates in real-time via APIs, CRM integrations, SaaS, and managed services. Data Axle has 45+ years of experience helping organizations exceed their goals. For more information, visit www.data-axle.com.

About Lake Group Media
Lake Group Media is a leading media buying and media sales agency specializing in direct mail, email, and online channels. Lake Group Media delivers comprehensive media planning, strategy, modeling, analytics and revenue optimization for direct mail, email, online display and insert media for commercial and nonprofit marketers.

About DonorBase
DonorBase is a category leading cooperative donor database exclusively for nonprofits and fundraisers. DonorBase’s comprehensive and tailored services have helped raise money for national, international and local nonprofits. DonorBase offers responsive acquisition prospects, lapsed donor reactivation models, analytical campaign solutions, and digital opportunities from a master database of over 72 million direct mail generated donors representing over 941 million gift transactions and $57.9 billion in charitable giving. For more information, visit www.donorbase.com.