Author: Suzanne Buzek, 2018-19 AMA Cincinnati President and 2019-20 Immediate Past President

The Cincinnati chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA Cincinnati) is proud to announce that it has earned a silver designation in the national AMA organization’s annual Chapter Excellence Awards (CEA) program, as well as its second consecutive platinum designation for continuing excellence.

For those of us working and living in Cincinnati, we know that our region’s marketing community boasts some of the most innovative and talented leaders in our profession, but it’s incredibly rewarding to have our region be recognized for that on this national scale.

This achievement is all because of the multi-year commitment to excellence on behalf of our 19-member board, past presidents and chapter leaders, 60-plus volunteers and dozens of strategic partners. If you are reading this, you are a part of our chapter’s (and the region’s) success. From all of us on the AMA Cincinnati board, thank you to all current and past members, volunteers, board members, leaders, sponsors, partners and speakers.

“The power and impact of the AMA emanates from our leading local AMA chapters across North America,” said AMA CEO Russ Klein. “Cincinnati exemplifies excellence as recipient of the esteemed Silver AMA Chapter for 2019. The AMA Cincinnati Chapter’s work has only begun to ensure the AMA remains the essential community for marketers in southern Ohio.”

You are a part of our chapter’s (and the region’s) success. From all of us on the AMA Cincinnati board, thank you to all current and past members, volunteers, board members, leaders, sponsors, partners and speakers.

The CEA program was established by the national AMA organization in 1974 to recognize achievements in leadership, finance, membership, programming and communications among the organization’s 75 North American chapters. Chapters submit detailed information similar to an annual report for independent review every August. Based on the judging outcomes, chapters can earn excellence or special merit in each of the five categories. Chapters with the most cumulative points earn gold (first place), silver (second place), bronze (third place) and “turn-it-up” designations as chapters of the year. Learn more about the program and process, as well as our chapter’s results from the 2017-18 year.

“Cincinnati exemplifies excellence as recipient of the esteemed Silver AMA Chapter for 2019. The AMA Cincinnati Chapter’s work has only begun to ensure the AMA remains the essential community for marketers in southern Ohio.”

CEA judges cited several positive characteristics of AMA Cincinnati’s 2018-19 year that led to its silver designation, including:

  • AMA Cincinnati’s successful second annual IGNITE conference in September 2018 and proactive planning for the 2019 conference, including securing the largest cash sponsorship in chapter history
  • The chapter’s board leadership, along with a retention rate greater than 90 percent
  • A diligence to market research best practices with consistent surveying members and volunteers for continuous improvement.

Additionally, because the chapter earned special merit or excellence in at least one of the five categories for the past five years, AMA Cincinnati is recognized as a platinum chapter for continuing excellence.

The chapter isn’t slowing down any time soon. If you have been to any of our recent events, you likely know that AMA Cincinnati hosts an average of 90 events or meetings per year for its 250 members and hundreds of guests, including:

As communities of marketers who refuse to get complacent in our profession, we pride ourselves on offering programming that resonates with marketers of any industry, at any stage of their career.

The 2018-19 AMA Cincinnati board.

“In a world (and profession) that has volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA), marketers will always be in a position to reinvent themselves as world-class organizations innovate,” said Justine Daley, current AMA Cincinnati president. “Within our membership and at any AMA event, you’ll meet strategists, branders, creatives, communicators, researchers, academics, technologists and more. We are all trailblazing marketers who refuse to settle. We thrive on meaningful professional development and exploring ways to hone our ever-evolving craft.”

We are over the moon with this recognition, and grateful for the MANY individual and collective efforts that got us here, but we don’t do what we do for the awards. We do it for the pursuit of being effective, best-in-class marketers. We do it to be a resource for the Cincinnati Marketing community for continuous professional development and growth.

“In a world (and profession) that has volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity (VUCA), marketers will always be in a position to reinvent themselves as world-class organizations innovate.”

If you have been considering getting more out of your AMA membership by becoming a volunteer, throwing your hat in the ring for consideration as a future speaker or weighing partnership opportunities on behalf of your organization, there is no better time than now to do so. You can start by personally dropping me a line at PastPresident@AMACincinnati.org, or reach out to the appropriate board member for your area of interest.

Cheers to more continued excellence, with you all as a part of our successes, learning and growth.