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In addition to the district level recognitions it received this month, the Amarillo chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF-Amarillo) has now brought home two national honors in AAF-National‘s annual club awards.

Membership Chair Han Owens won second place for her membership development club achievement book. Owens is the Marketing Administrator at the Amarillo Civic Center Complex.

And Communications Chair Kelly Podzemny won second place for his communications club achievement book. Podzemny is the Regional Communications & Marketing Manager for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center at Amarillo.

The books are a collection of local clubs’ activity in areas such as operations, communications, diversity and more. Below is a full press release from AAF Tenth District about all 30 awards the local clubs within District 10 won this year.

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The American Advertising Federation, a national trade association, announced Wednesday, April 17, 2019, the club awards throughout the fifteen national districts. 

Advertising clubs are divided into five divisions based on membership size:

• Division I        500+ members
• Division II       250–499 members
• Division III      100–249 members
• Division IV      Up to 99 members
• Division V       Ad 2 Clubs

Representing AAF Tenth District clubs in the states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Texas the following clubs received;

Division I National Club of the Year AAF-Austin

With five out of eight First Place awards including: Programs, Communications, Public Service, Government Relations, and Advertising Education.  AAF-Austin also took second place national honors for Club Operations, Diversity & Multicultural Initiatives, and Membership Development.

In a close second place for this coveted national award is the 2018 Division I AAF National Club of the Year, AAF-Dallas.  With First Place awards for Club Operations, Membership Development, and Diversity & Multicultural Initiatives. Dallas awards included Second Place for Public Service, Advertising Education, Communications, Government Relations, and Programs.

A first place national Division III award is bestowed on AAF-Houston for their work in Advertising Education.  In Division IV second place awards went to AAF-Amarillo for their work in Communications and Membership Development.  AAF-Ft. Worth received third place recognition for Programs.

In Division V, Ad 2-Austin received first place awards for Club Operations, Membership Development and Public Service. Ad 2-Dallas received six awards including first place for Government Relations, second place for Diversity & Multicultural Initiatives, Membership Development, and Public Service, along with third place awards for Club Operations, Communications, and Programs.

Annually the American Advertising Federation recognizes clubs which have participated in the AAF American Advertising Awards and had substantial increases in entries.  The club in each AAF division with the greatest percentage increase year-over-year in total number of entries will have its AAF annual dues 100% waived for the following year, and receive special recognition at the annual conference, ADMERICA in Hollywood, Florida in June 2019.  Division I recipient is AAF-Dallas and Division IV recipient is AAF-Rio Grande Valley.

The five clubs, regardless of AAF division with the greatest percentage increase year-over-year in total number of entries will receive TWO complimentary ADMERICA registrations, and with each four nights at the conference hotel, a $400 air travel compensation for each traveler and special recognition at ADMERICA.  AAF Tenth District clubs receiving three of the five awards are; AAF-Northeast Arkansas, AAF-Shreveport Bossier, and AAF Rio Grande Valley. Collectively, the American Advertising Federation Tenth District clubs will be recognized with thirty awards.

The Amarillo chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF-Amarillo) was honored in many ways during AAF District 10’s spring convention in Shreveport, Louisiana April 4-7. Individual members, the club as a whole and their advertising work were recognized.

AAF-Amarillo was named the AAF Tenth District Small Club of the Year during the event. The AAF Tenth District includes all local chapters based in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Twice per year the district assembles all of its chapters for business meetings and to bestow district-level honors and awards. Small clubs are considered those with 99 or fewer members, and large clubs have 100 or more. With 70 members, the Amarillo chapter competes with similarly sized clubs in Lubbock, Fort Worth and more.

“We are incredibly proud to receive the Tenth District Small Club of the Year for the second year in a row,” AAF-Amarillo President Jody Reynolds said. “This honor is the result of a true group effort from an outstanding AAF-Amarillo board, who is devoted to growing our club and enhancing its benefits to members. Our club has seen tremendous growth because of the value we provide to members through networking opportunities, educational programming, community outreach and participation at the district and national levels.”

Past President Stephanie Price became the third consecutive member from Amarillo to be honored as District 10’s Member of the Year. Members Zivorad Filipovic and Cathleen Tyson were bestowed the same honor in 2017 and 2018 respectively. Additionally, Price was elected the district’s new 2nd Lt. Governor and will serve on the executive committee. Price is the Communications & Marketing Director at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum.

Government Affairs Chair Chris Villegas won first place for his government affairs club achievement book. The books are a collection of local clubs’ activity in areas such as operations, communications, diversity and more. Villegas is the Digital Marketing Coordinator at United Way of Amarillo & Canyon.

And finally, it was announced that several winning entries from AAF-Amarillo’s local tier of the American Advertising Awards in February have since been judged and won at the district level. District “ADDY” winners from Amarillo include Cenveo, Walcot Studio, ThreeLeaf Creative and Marcus Freeman, a student at West Texas A&M University.

More About AAF Amarillo:

The Amarillo chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF Amarillo) is a professional club dedicated to following the principles of truthful advertising and improving the local economy. AAF Amarillo believes that every person engaged in advertising and its allied fields has an obligation to contribute their time and talent to the development of the profession and its goals.

The Amarillo chapter of the American Advertising Federation (AAF-Amarillo) hosted the local tier of the 2019 American Advertising Awards on Feb. 23 at Hugo’s on the Square in Canyon. Approximately 170 advertising professionals and students celebrated as they and their peers won coveted “ADDY” trophies. More than 50 awards were bestowed upon guests, including gold and silver ADDYs, special judges’ awards and best of show.

“The AAF-Amarillo board and committee members work extremely hard every year toward the American Advertising Awards,” AAF-Amarillo President Jody Reynolds said. “The committee solicits entries from students and professionals around the Amarillo area, has the entries critiqued by leading professionals in the advertising industry and hosts an awards reception that recognizes and rewards excellence in advertising.” 

Winners included local advertising agencies, civic organizations, schools, a television station and more. United Way of Amarillo & Canyon took home top honors with Best of Show in the professional competition for its “Less Than” documentary movie trailer, while West Texas A&M University student Blake William Cripps won Best of Show in the student division for a unique illustration of a bison.

The Great American Advertising Awards was the theme of this year’s event. The theme evoked roaring 20s and Great Gatsby style decor and dress.

“It is the honor of AAF-Amarillo to host the first tier of this national creative competition each year,” Reynolds said. “We continue to shed light on the work of professional and student creatives in our area. We have exceptional talent here in the Panhandle, and we are thrilled to be able to showcase it locally as well as advance the winning works to the district and national levels for further judging.”

Hosted by AAF-Amarillo, the event comprised the first portion of a three-tier, national competition. Concurrently, all across the country, local entrants vie to win awards moving them into the district tier, where local ADDY winners compete against winners from other chapters in one of 15 district competitions. District winners are then forwarded to the national stage of the competition.

Winners Books

• Professional Competition (Text File)
• Student Division (Text File)

Ceremony Videos

District 10 Governor, Keith Powell, joined us at our April 11th club meeting to announce Cathleen Tyson had been awarded District 10’s Club Member of the Year! Last Fall, Cathleen led a committee (i.e. pretty much the entire active membership of AAF-Amarillo) to host the 2017 Street Volkswagen AAF Central Region Conference.

Cathleen – AAF-Amarillo is grateful for your time and commitment to our club! Congratulations on this well deserved honor.

AAF-Amarillo received AAF District 10’s Small Club of the year beating out 16 other same size clubs throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and part of Louisiana! Throughout the year, clubs earn points by their philanthropic efforts and participating at the district level by hosting America Advertising Awards, submitting club achievement books, donating to the Advertising Education Scholarship Foundation, attending conferences, etc.

Thank you to all AAF-Amarillo club members! It is because of your support that we were able to achieve this award.