WHERE We Are, WHERE We’ve Been and WHEN It Began.

Since 1976, when Jacob Ruf Sr. and his wife Sondra started the company, Ruf has been helping results-oriented marketers achieve their goals with rich consumer insights and intelligent tools that engage their audience, drive conversion and maximize marketing ROI.

Over the years, there have been many events that have shaped who we are as a company and the products and services that we offer. Read on to find out more about Ruf's history and the key milestones that punctuated our 37-year odyssey…

2013
  • Ruf launches its Marketing Intelligence Engine platform
  • Ruf establishes data partnership with Mediamark Research, Inc. (MRI)
  • Ruf establishes data partnership with KBM Group
  • Ruf introduces its Connex brand and rebrands existing “Smart” products
2010
  • Ruf introduces SmartMD CRM
    and intelligence solutions
    for the healthcare vertical
2007
  • Ruf introduces Performance-based Marketing featuring eLeads
  • Ruf introduces Smart Travel Targets for the travel vertical
2006
  • Ruf celebrates 30 years in business
  • Ruf introduces Visitor Analysis for the travel vertical
2004
  • Ruf introduces Travelytics CRM and intelligence solutions for the travel vertical
2001
  • Ruf celebrates 25 years in business
2000
  • Ruf introduces Navigator CRM & Marketing Automation software
1999
  • Ruf brothers Kurt, Brian, Eric and Jake II execute a management buyout and reacquire Ruf Strategic Solutions
1995
  • Company founders Jake Sr. and Sondra Ruf retire
  • Ruf becomes a subsidiary of Morgan Stanley, Dean Witter and Discover & Co.
1993
  • Ruf enhances its business clustering system with proprietary Corporate Lifestyles
1991
  • Ruf partners with Experian Marketing Services and Simmons Integrated Marketing Solutions to develop Smart Targeting Tools for business
  • Ruf introduces its Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping
  • Jake Ruf, Sr. uses Smart Targeting Tools with great success and becomes the mayor for Olathe, KS
1986
  • Ruf launches its first consumer targeting and segmentation system Bullseye
1982
  • Ruf develops ZIP+4 modeling software
1976
  • Jake Ruf, Sr. and his wife, Sondra, start Ruf Corporation
  • Ruf develops IMPRS, the first commercially available relational database
1968
  • Jake Ruf, Sr. partners with future direct marketing hall of famer, Martin Baier, to create the first ZIP code model