Charles de Gruchy is a serial entrepreneur who started a landscaping business in high school to fund his education at the University of Toronto. He partnered with Brian Salter to create a successful direct marketing agency that grew significantly and eventually merged with a US catalog agency. The agency, which served notable clients such as Dell Canada and IBM Canada, faced challenges after Salter's death and was later sold to Cossette Communications Canada.

1. Charles de Gruchy?
CRM; Database Marketing; Digital
Marketing; Social Media; Media Planning;
SEO; Optimization strategies;
Engagement Design

2. Charles is a serial entrepreneur from an early
age starting a landscaping business in high
school that eventually funding his university
education at The University of Toronto where
he graduated with both BA and MA degrees in
business administration. After a series of
exploratory opportunities he was introduced to
Brian Salter at the time head of Creative at
Grey Advertising, Toronto.

3. At that time Brian had held a senior creative role
with the agency for about 20 years and Charles
was just entering the agency business. What
Brian saw in Charles active and constructive
planning approach to the direct marketing
business and an opportunity to take his CRM
creative talents to a new audience.

4. Brian and Charles formed a partnership with
Brian leading the effort. That partnership
eventually became the direct marketing agency
– Salter, de Gruchy Inc. The firm grew rapidly
as demand for direct and database marketing
planning services grew. Salter, de Gruchy
added database development and analytics
services through partnership with Barbara
Canning Brown and Steven Shaw.
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5. The firm eventually merged with a US catalog
agency to form Salter, deGruchy, Christensen in
1991 with consolidated billings of$16M .
Clients included Dell Canada, IBM Canada,
Barnes & Noble, The Bay, Air Canada, Sears,
Hallmark and others. Database management
was handled by BCB & AssociatesThe
successful merger was interrupted by the
death of Brian Salter and the agency was sold
to Cossette Communications Canada
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