The American Marketing Association (AMA), has named Gina Bonar, local Cincinnati marketing professional, as the national 2023 Ric Sweeney Chapter Volunteer of the Year. Each year, the organization honors one individual who exemplifies the passion, talent and determination of the AMA volunteer, and whose contributions have added significantly to the American Marketing Association’s goals. A panel of judges across the organization evaluated nominatuins from chapters across North America.
“We nominated Gina because each of us in the AMA Cincinnati Board of Directors has a ‘Gina Story.’ As the first black AMA Cincinnati Chapter President and someone on whom Gina has had a positive impact, I will always remember meeting her at my first-ever AMA event when I was still just learning the marketing profession,” explains Afton Palmer, President, AMA Cincinnati. “She said she had to know how come I looked so happy, I said it was because my life changed that day, and she was overjoyed. Gina invited and encouraged me to join the organization, and then the board leadership track. I never really imagined being on a board of directors or in this role. Gina’s continued encouragement, as well as the resources of the organization, are just a few of the amazing reasons why I have stayed in the AMA so long.”
The award’s namesake, Ric Sweeney, Professor, Educator and Circle of Excellence Director at University of Cincinnati – Carl H Lindner College of Business, founded the Chapter Volunteer of the Year Award in 2005, during his term as National Professional Chapters Council President. He also served as a former AMA Chairman of the Board, former Cincinnati Chapter President and member of the AMA since 1996. AMA named the award in his honor in 2016.
With Ric as an honorary recipient, Gina is the fourth AMA Cincinnati chapter leader to receive this prestigious recognition, joining Ric and:
- 2016 Ric Sweeney Chapter Volunteer of the Year Dennis Devlin, CEO of CLARITY Research & Strategy, and AMA Cincinnati President 2013-2014
- 2008 Chapter Volunteer of the Year Carol Shea, CEO of Olivetree Insights and AMA Cincinnati President 1992-1993
“This recognition is an incredible honor. AMA Cincinnati and the broader AMA organization have given me such amazing opportunities, it’s hard to quantify,” Gina shared. “Cincinnati is a truly special place to be a marketer and a servant leader. The greatest reward is the chance to serve the marketing community alongside talented and dedicated fellow volunteers who want to make a difference, build value, and grow together.”
Learn more about the award here: Ric Sweeney Chapter Volunteer of the Year Award (ama.org)
About Gina Bonar:
Gina Bonar serves as an AMA Cincinnati Board Member in the role of CMO Roundtable Leader and VP Programming for the Executive Marketer Community. She also serves as a Mentor, an Account Lead for AMA Cincinnati Agency, and a member of various other committees. Nationally, she serves as a volunteer on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI committee and the national awards program exploration committee. She has been a part of the AMA Cincinnati community and Board for a decade, serving as President in 2016-2017, and as a member of the PCC 2018-2021.
A long-time Chicagoan transplanted to Cincinnati in 2013, Gina is the Founder and Chief Marketing Partner at 5 Whys Marketing. She is a writer and strategist with a focus on digital content strategy, development, and delivery for clients across industries and around the world. She has served as US Marketing Leader at Mercer, Client and Industry Marketing Leader at Deloitte, and various marketing and communications roles at Exelon, USG, and Golin Harris. Gina holds an MS IMC/PR from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and a Kellogg MBA.
