Company History | Why Choose Day-Timer? | Company Timeline

Company History

Since the beginnings of Day-Timer in 1947, the Company has empowered its millions of customers with the necessary skills and tools to manage time, and cope with information and change.

Day-Timer is a pioneer in the field of time management and provides the tools for people in all walks of life, to dramatically increase their personal effectiveness, efficiency, and productivity

The Day-Timer story began, in the 1940's, in a small town in Pennsylvania, United States. Morris Perkin, a local attorney, realised that he needed more information about his workday than could be provided by a simple appointment calendar. So he designed his own system. It was Perkin's personal solution to time management.

By 1952 Perkin needed a commercial establishment to handle the printing of his growing subscribers. The Dorney Printing Company became involved---it changed lives. As Bob Dorney recalls: "For a while we just printed the organisers - initially with only about 700 customers. As the subscription list grew, we began shipping for Morris, then marketing the organisers, too. Eventually, we merged." The orgainers were sold using the theme: "Lawyers who keep time earn 42% more than non-time keepers." Results of a Bar Association study revealed that lawyers who used the Day-Timer organiser earned around 50% more than those who didn't.

The business continued to grow, into many other professional and commercial groups, and in the 1960's distribution expanded to include Canada and the United Kingdom.

In 1972, Beatrice Foods purchased Day-Timer, and funded additional equipment and machinery, helping Day-Timer became a self-contained manufacturer, and business to business direct marketer, growing at an annual rate of 15 to 25%.

In the late 1970s, noted academic and presenter, Dr Charles Hobbs, advocated that time management was the key to a healthy and balanced life, and promoted the Day-Timer organiser as the most effective way to achieve these objectives. In the late 1980s, Day-Timer acquired the rights to Time Power, Dr Hobbs training programme.

In the late 1980's distribution expanded, to include Australia and New Zealand. Fully integrated businesses now operate in both of these countries, and, along with the European Company in the United Kingdom, represent Day-Timer international businesses.

Day-Timer celebrates it's 60th Anniversary in 2007. Sixty years of leadership, helping millions of people achieve more successful and balanced lives.

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Why Choose Day-Timer?

Our aim is to provide people with versatile, easy-to-use tools to help them maximise their personal productivity
We have 60 years experience in increasing personal productivity
Our systems are easy to use and adaptable to your specific needs
Our primary focus is personal organisation - we are experts in this field
We provide quality products which are value for money
We provide exceptional service - our commitment to you
No two schedules are the same, which is why Day-Timer offers a greater range of diary formats than anyone else

Company Timeline

1938	Warren Dorney buys manual printing press to print labels for his business. Bob and Bill Dorney (Warren's sons) start printing small orders for name cards and raffle tickets.
1940	Bob and Bill entered into their first mail-order business -- printing birthday calendars for churches
1942	Dorney Printing registered as a business.
1947	Morris Perkin invents Lawyer's Day.
1948	First building erected to house printing business.
1952	Perkin brings Lawyer's Day to Dorneys to produce.
1950s	Accountant's Day, Engineer's Day, and other specifically targeted products added.
1960s	Time planning system becomes generic for all professions, and is referred to as a Day-Timer. Plant added in Canada and franchise distribution in the U.K.
1962	New 1st Class Post Office built in East Texas to accommodate large volume of mail generated by Day-Timer.
1970	First color mail order catalog produced. Day-Timer is registered.
1972	Day-Timer bought by Beatrice Foods. Plant expanded considerably. Equipment and machinery added to become self-contained manufacturer.
1980s	Charles Hobbs alliance begins to take shape. Day-Timer buys out Hobbs (and Time Power) and begins to move into the seminar business. Beatrice Foods undergoes corporate reorganization to solve internal management problems and attempt to foil takeover bids. Ownership of Day-Timer changes hands several times. Expands distribution to include Australia & New Zealand. Number of new formats and sizes introduced. Day-Timer Concepts, Inc. created to oversee major accounts, seminars, training.
1987	Steve Rowley replaces Bob Dorney as president of Day-Timer.
1988	Day-Timer acquired by American Brands, Inc., is under the umbrella of ACCO World Corporation (an office products division of American Brands).
1993	Loren Hulber replaces Steve Rowley as president.
1994	Day-Timer enters into joint venture with Kensington, develops & markets personal organizer software. Expands distribution of Day-Timer system into superstores (Staples, Office Depot, Office Max, etc.)
1996	Mike Vogel replaces Loren Hulber as president. Day-Timer is the personal productivity platform of ACCO North America.
1997	Day-Timer introduces first home organization software, Day-Timer HomeLife and makes it available through all distribution channels. Day-Timer enters into a marketing and product development venture with Sharp Electronics and introduces the Sharp Wizard Oz series bundled with Day-Timer Organizer software.

	The company's subsidiary, Day-Timer Concepts, announces the creation of the Day-Timer Center for Productivity Training, which administers the Day-Timer Concepts' 4-Dimensional Time Management training seminars.

	Day-Timer marks its 50th Anniversary.
2007	Day-Timer Celebrates it's 60th Anniversary.