by RJ Thompson | Jun 27, 2023 | Chapter News
Hey AMA Pittsburgh family,
As my time as President comes to an end, I can’t help but look back on the amazing journey we’ve been on together. It’s been an honor to serve as your President and lead our organization through some big changes.
When I first took on this role, our main goal was to “reboot” after the pandemic. I’m proud of the great strides we’ve made. After a few years of declining membership due to the pandemic, our membership has grown to all-time high levels, with so many passionate marketers joining us. This is all thanks to your dedication and enthusiasm.
We’ve had some amazing events and programs that have helped us all grow professionally. From inspiring speakers like Robin Landa to interactive workshops through the AMA Momentum program, we’ve given you the tools to succeed in this ever-changing industry. And our networking events have brought us all closer together.
I’m also proud of the partnerships we’ve formed with organizations like PRSA, MPI, Ad Fed, AIGA, and Ad Fed. These alliances have helped us reach more people and create a thriving community for marketers in our region. And our sponsorships with universities have allowed us to impact the next generation of marketers.
One of my favorite accomplishments has been strengthening our relationships with student chapters at universities like the University of Pittsburgh College of Business Administration, Slippery Rock University, and Indiana University of Pennsylvania. We’ve bridged the gap between academia and industry and helped prepare aspiring marketers for their future careers.
None of this would have been possible without all of you. I’m so grateful for your support, hard work, and resilience. Together, we’ve secured a bright future for AMA Pittsburgh.
As I pass the torch to our incoming President, Katie Bennett, I know our organization is in good hands. I’ll still be around as Immediate Past President, and I encourage all of you to stay involved and keep growing.
Thank you for an amazing journey filled with accomplishments and memories. I can’t wait to see what’s next for AMA Pittsburgh.
With appreciation,
RJ Thompson, MFA, SMS, CDMP
President, American Marketing Association – Pittsburgh Chapter
by RJ Thompson | Jul 13, 2022 | Chapter News
by RJ Thompson | Mar 24, 2021 | Chapter News
by RJ Thompson | Jul 1, 2020 | Chapter News
The past four years on the AMA Board of Directors have flown by and as I close out my term as president, it’s cathartic having the chance to step back, collect and reflect on everything we’ve done together to push our chapter forward.
While AMA Pittsburgh has been in operation for over seven decades, upon my joining the board, the time was ripe for change. With that said, we’ve gone through a restructuring and rebuilding of the board and the way our organization operates, and I couldn’t be more pleased with where we’re headed as we embark on our next chapter.
In the last few years, we have reignited our chapter with new events and brought back signature events, implemented new processes and procedures, created new opportunities for continuing education, held regional collegiate case competitions, and everything in between. Even COVID-19 couldn’t stop our chapter from launching a new virtual event series, Marketing Mondays, to keep our community connected and motivated to propel forward during this time. We’ve learned how to pivot, adapt, and be agile around obstacles big and small.
My vision when I became president for the chapter was to re-establish the foundational elements of our organization to set us up for future success. I felt we could achieve that through re-engaging with our local marketing network, growing chapter membership, creating better partnerships, and reconnecting with our national AMA office by being a host city for the 2018 leadership regional retreat. I am proud that together with my fellow board colleagues, we have successfully achieved those foundational goals. I am confident that our chapter will continue to build on this solidified foundation to further sophisticate what we offer and how to the Pittsburgh marketing community.
2020 is our chapter’s 75th anniversary of being chartered; August 13, 1945 to be exact. And while our plans of live celebration in August have been canceled, our virtual spirit is at an all-time high. With our board of directors in place to start our new fiscal year July 1st, we already have a future line of leadership legacy identified to ensure the health and longevity of our chapter is here for another 75 years and beyond. The hours our team has put in – whether a three-week series of Saturday morning Zoom meetings to keep our strategic planning moving, or the countless meetings with their committee members, emails and texts and everything in-between – has all been to ensure we are moving forward to help propel both today’s leaders and the next generation of marketers.
I am better not only professionally, but also personally for working alongside each and every person who’s been part of making AMA Pittsburgh what it is today. It has been my pleasure leading our chapter over the last two years as president, and I look forward to finding new and creative ways to contribute to the future success of AMA Pittsburgh in the spirit of strengthening our community.
All my best,
Lauren Norris
by RJ Thompson | Mar 16, 2020 | Chapter News
AMA Pittsburgh continues to
closely follow the evolving information from the CDC on COVID-19 (Coronavirus),
as well as responses from the City of Pittsburgh and our community partners.
We are committed to the safety and well-being of our members, event attendees, and community partners as our first priority above all else. We also are committed to playing a constructive role in supporting health and government officials in their efforts to contain the virus.
As such, we have decided
to cancel all remaining chapter events for March and April. These
cancellations include:
– Big Brands in Your Backyard: Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday,
March 24, 2020
– Collegiate Marketing Case Competition on Friday, March 27, 2020
– Monthly Mingle: April on Tuesday, April 14, 2020
We will reschedule the Big Brands in Your Backyard event for a future date this fall and distribute that information broadly at that time. If you had already purchased tickets, your money has been refunded today (March 16, 2020) and you will see that back into your bank accounts within two-to-five business days.
If you won a Marketer of the Year Award, we were about to announce our winners’ reception booked only days ago for Monday, April 6th at the Pittsburgh Glass Center. Even though the Pittsburgh Glass Center is closed now through April 5th, that event is also canceled. Pending further updates, you are free to pick up your engraved awards any time after that date. Should they extend their closure, we will update you at that time, or you can call them directly at (412) 365-2145.
Committee meetings will
remain scheduled but will occur via phone, no longer taking place in public settings.
If you have registered for a committee meeting or are already a member of a
committee, your Vice President lead will be in touch with dial-in information
as the date nears.
While we cannot predict how
this virus will impact our organization and planned events in the future, we
are committed to keeping all parties informed as the situation evolves. We
will be in contact again as the end of April nears, with respect to planned
events.
We are happy to have you
all as members and attendees of our events and look forward to seeing everyone
soon.
Be well!
The AMA Pittsburgh Board of
Directors
