What is the Origin of the Criss Cross Directory?

The term “Criss Cross” was coined prior to 1932 by W.L. Haines, founder of Haines & Company, Inc. It refers to a single cross-reference directory containing both addresses in sequence (arranged alphabetically by street within zip codes), and phone numbers in numeric order.

The first Criss Cross directory was published in 1932. The words “Criss Cross” and “Criss+Cross,” as well as the logo were trademarked by Haines & Company, Inc., which still holds the trademarks today.

The Criss Cross directory soon became a vital research tool used by police and fire departments, as well as libraries and government agencies. It also grew into a powerful resource that has allowed businesses to market to homeowners and consumers for more than 80 years.

In 1956, Haines & Company, Inc. was one of the founding members of the International Association of Cross Reference Directory Publishers. Member companies banded together to share technical information regarding accurate data compilation and establish guidelines for the responsible and ethical management of consumer and business data.

For years, these annually published cross-reference directories — covering complete cities and suburban areas — have provided more up-to-date listings per dollar than any other source.

Today, the Criss+Cross Directory has become the ultimate
prospecting tool helping businesses generate more
leads. It is designed to build telemarketing lists that can be
uploaded directly into an auto-dialer or CRM, target around
a recent job site, or run a direct mail campaign to targeted
prospects.

At Haines – Customers are a part of our family. They shape our future, our goals, and – most importantly – help us develop products that are tailored to the needs of today’s business. Our number one goal is to help our customers make quality connections to empower the growth of their business. I am proud to be the 4th generation of the Haines family, and the company’s first female CEO. I’m 100% focused on continuing to grow Haines, build world-class products, and serve our customers. Here’s to the next 90 years!