SAN JOSE, Calif., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Hello Direct, Inc.
(Nasdaq: HELO), today announced that Ruth Grouell has joined the Company as
Vice President of Organizational Development.  Grouell has served as a
consultant with the Company for over a year, assisting in the implementation
of Hello Direct's strategic growth plan by helping manage the change process,
designing new performance management and compensation systems, facilitating
process improvement teams, and evaluating potential acquisition candidates.
    In her new capacity, Grouell will be responsible for ensuring that Hello
Direct has the structure, the business process, and the right mix of skills
and abilities in managers and employees to successfully achieve the company's
strategic objectives.  In addition, Grouell will provide oversite of the human
resources department.
    "Ruth has provided Hello Direct with a wealth of hands-on management
expertise over the past year, including facilitating a team that created our
New Product Development Process designed to shorten new product time to
market," said Alec Glover, president and chief executive officer.  "Her
ability to achieve improved operating results through detailed planning and
integration of operations will be instrumental in taking our profit focused
growth strategy to the next level."
    In her consulting practice, and in her prior positions in managing
organizational development departments in several large companies and the U.S.
Army in Europe, Grouell focused extensively on helping companies manage
change, improve business processes, and develop employees.  She led efforts to
re-engineer business processes at Ford Aerospace, Syntex Pharmaceuticals, and
Anthem Electronics.  At Syntex, she co-led a transition team to support
employees during a major merger.  Grouell holds a BA degree in English from
the University of Iowa and a MS in Counseling from San Diego State University.
    Hello Direct, Inc. (http://www.hello-direct.com) is the leading developer and
direct marketer of telephone productivity tools including headsets,
teleconferencing, wireless and related desktop products.  Through its
distinctive catalogs, website and outbound telemarketing programs, the Company
offers a broad selection of commercial-grade brand name, proprietary,
nationally branded and private label products at competitive prices that
provide superior solutions to its business end users' evolving communication
needs.

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