AMA PDX Garners Top National Honors
AMA PDX Receives Prestigious 2020-2021 Gold Chapter Award and Merit for DEI Initiatives
Our team is thrilled to share we have received top honors from our national body, the American Marketing Association. AMA PDX has been lauded with the 2020-2021 Gold Chapter Award plus merit for our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Response. Less than 30 chapters have received the distinction of Gold Chapter Award since the inception of the Chapter Excellence Awards Program in 1974. The latest kudos for our chapter comes after substantial growth in membership, programming, and a focus on DEI initiatives over the last five years.
AMA PDX is proud of the momentum we have been building as a chapter. We have a dedicated leadership team that is invested in local, regional, and national dialogues– and joins every conversation knowing how much ground we have to cover. – Brandi Martin, Immediate Past President, AMA PDX
Our team submitted their yearly achievements to a panel of judges, that in response highlighted the chapter’s focus on membership value and sustainability, financial responsibility, and overall strategic planning. In a year where volunteers and members were plagued by digital burnout, this meant getting creative and focusing on elements the board could control like leadership training and membership growth.
When membership started dropping, we realized we weren’t meeting the needs of our community. So, we asked. What did our audience want out of membership, programming? We were able to end the year almost doubling membership and stabilizing retention. – Brandi Martin, Immediate Past President, AMA PDX
In the face of undeniable social movements, AMA PDX was determined not just to check the DEI box because it was the buzzword of the moment. We made changes with intention, guided by our DEI Pledge. Events were made more accessible through addition of subtitles. Programming is scheduled at inclusive times, not just in reach for those with ‘flexible’ work hours. And when able to be held in person event locations are chosen for their proximity to public transit. Speakers and topics too were reevaluated. Line-ups that had been traditionally male, white, strategically focused were shaken-up to include more women, BIPOC leaders, and creatives in the marketing field.
Receiving this recognition is reflective of the inclusive marketing community we have in AMA PDX but our work is just beginning. There is so much more work ahead as an organization, in the marketing industry and throughout business. Our commitment to this work is lifelong. – Christian Aniciete, VP of DEI
Since 1959, AMA PDX has brought together marketing professionals, from across Portland and the surrounding areas, through valuable professional development events, networking opportunities, and monthly luncheons. As our chapter grows, AMA PDX is committed to helping individuals and companies support diversity, equity, and inclusion in the industry, beginning with centering and amplifying the voices of our black, brown, and indigenous communities (BIPOC). Together, we will use the power of our collective voices to outline the roles marketers can play in standing for and delivering on inclusion; the ideals, values, and principles that promote equality, respect, and unity.
Our team is honored to receive these accolades and invites marketing professionals to join for all the big things yet to come!