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Intro:

TDC in facts, dates and figures

The club was started as an unofficial gathering in 1943, by a group of “Mad” men from advertising agencies who began sharing typographic war stories over lunch.

Founding member Milton Zudeck described the club’s goals: “We simply want to make more and more advertising people aware of the importance of the agency typographer. We want them to realize that the selection of type for an advertisement demands a sixth sense that goes beyond the basic knowledge of typefaces.”

1946

The “Type Directors Club” organization was formed by several leading NY art directors, including Aaron Burns, Louis Dorfsman and Milton Zudeck.

We’re a nonprofit with no ulterior motive, and that lack of conflicting interests creates a rare chance to advocate for a collective whole, for an industry.

That advocacy can exist in many forms—scholarships, information sharing, connections across expertise, public relations, or simply space for the deliberation of weighty topics that otherwise don’t get much priority to be explored.

— Ksenya Samarskaya, TDC Managing Director

1947

The TDC began a lecture series called ‘Ten Talks on Type’.

From the very beginning, the mission of the club was education, and it has not changed throughout the years.

We are constantly expanding our formats and methods: lectures and classes, exhibitions and workshops—everything we do aims to amplify the power and knowledge of typographers.

— Carol Wahler, TDC Executive Director

From 1955 to 2021 the TDC used cups for the judging process. © Type Directors Club.

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1955

The first TDC competition was held to recognize outstanding work in the profession.

1960s

The TDC recruits its first woman member, designer Beatrice Warde.

Beatrice Warde visiting a TDC event, 1953. © Type Directors Club.

The TDC Typography exhibition goes international, starting with Germany, shortly after traveling to the United Kingdom, then touring in Asia, with a show in Tokyo, Japan in 1970s.

1967

The first TDC Medal was awarded to Hermann Zapf for significant contributions to, and achievements in, the art and craft of type and typography. As of 2022, there have been 34 medalists.

I became involved with the TDC in 1983 through my family business, Cardinal Type Service. My husband Allan worked in our company and his client, Jack Odette, was the 29th chairman of the TDC.

Mr. Odette asked if Cardinal could store the entry packages that were shipped to the TDC office. Allan asked me if I would act as a facilitator. On seeing all the packages piled up in his office, I brought them into the room and organized them (not knowing how they should be organized).

Jack was very impressed, and asked if I would like to work part-time opening and cataloging the entries. I said yes.

—Carol Wahler, TDC Executive Director