It’s my privilege and honor to begin our 2011-2012 fiscal year as the president of AMADC, currently the third largest chapter in the American Marketing Association. We are fortunate, as AMADC is well poised for success, thanks to the leadership of our immediate past President Christie Susko and her board of directors. There’s no question about it - Christie will be a hard act to follow, but one only has to look at the current state of our organization to see the great progress made under her direction, including:

• Membership grew significantly, taking AMADC from the fourth largest to the third largest chapter out of 76 AMA operating chapters during the worst economic downturn we’ve experienced.
• AMADC raised the bar on programming, introducing innovative new events and attracting nationally recognized speakers.
• Fiscal Year 2010-2011 ended showing a cash positive balance, while also allowing us to support our philanthropic efforts.

As we kick off this milestone year, I am pleased and excited to announce that we have assembled an outstanding group of marketing professionals who will be serving as our 2011-2012 Board of Directors. Read more about our Board of Directors at www.amadc.org/board.

To provide a clear road map and framework for success, AMADC will be committed to the following key areas of focus in the coming year:

1. Provide a Great Member Experience!
2. Simplify and Streamline Operations
3. Increase Member Value
4. Increase Membership
5. Generate Revenue
6. Continue to Improve Retention

Lastly, and most importantly, I’d like to acknowledge and personally thank the many volunteers who have worked hard to get our chapter to the state it is in today. We’re a 100% volunteer driven organization and we rely on a dedicated team to help us achieve our goals. To that end, we’re always looking for help, and our new board is actively seeking folks to join their teams and committees to drive our initiatives forward. Please contact us if you are interested in a volunteer role this year. We’d love to have you on board!

So, as we ease into the relaxed pace of mid-summer, I hope you get some time to recharge your creative batteries and gear up for an exciting new year at AMADC. I welcome your thoughts and ideas on how we can continue to improve our chapter and what you personally and professionally find beneficial as a member.

On behalf of the Board of Directors of AMADC, thank you for your valued membership. We’re looking forward to a successful and productive year!

Read the full letter at www.amadc.org/news

AMADC Announces 2011-12 Board of Directors

Marketing executives Mike Gardner and Doug Reed tapped as incoming AMADC president and president-elect.

This year’s board dedicated to increasing member value, providing high quality programming, and delivering opportunities for career advancement.

WASHINGTON, DC - July 20, 2011– The DC chapter of the American Marketing Association released its 2011-12 board of directors line up, including experienced marketing and communications executives from the high tech, association, philanthropic, consulting, sports and e-learning/education arenas throughout the DC metro area.

Read the full Press Release at www.amadc.org/news

AMADC Networking Series Sponsored by RIS
July 25, 2011

The AMADC Networking Events are the place to get dialed into the DC marketing community. This is the spot to make alliances for your business, find your next great employee, get active in the AMA, get career advice or maybe get your next job. Be sure to bring a ton of business cards, you are going to need them!

Read more and register at www.amadc.org/2011/07/Networker

Save the Date: A Night with the Nats
August 25, 2011

AMADC announces our exciting August main event: a night with DC’s home team, the Nats! Join us at National’s Park on August 25, starting at 5:30pm for an exclusive opportunity to watch the Nats play from a private suite and network with some of the park’s top brass. A group of lucky AMADC members will also have the chance to watch the game from the field! This is an event with limited space and anticipated high demand, and is certain to sell out quickly.

Registration will open on August 1, and will be done on a first come, first served basis. Looking forward to seeing you there!

The AMADC is proud to deliver integrated, strategic and tactical marketing education on current trends and issues that apply to virtually any business or organization. Our monthly webinars and programming provide fresh insights, best practices and case studies delivered by recognized marketing leaders from a variety of companies.

Summer Networking Kicks into High Gear at Hudson Restaurant

Desperate to beat the heat, marketers flocked to Hudson Restaurant in Washington, DC on June 13 to cool down with cocktails and lively conversation. In addition to heavy bar appetizers, such as calamari, bar tots, and house made pretzels, guests sampled gourmet brick oven pizzas while socializing in the West End’s hot spot.

Missed out? Stop by RIS on July 25 for another exclusive networking event. Be sure to bring lots of business cards – you’re going to need them!

AMADC’s Power on the Potomac Networking Event Honors 2011 Marketing Hall of Fame Winner Seth Goldman, President and TeaEO of Honest Tea

On June 28, AMADC held its inaugural Power on the Potomac Networking event at the stunning House of Sweden on the Georgetown waterfront honoring 2011 Marketing Hall of Fame award winner Seth Goldman, President and TeaEO of Honest Tea. No doubt the buzz from the event could be heard across the Potomac as more than 160 area marketers gathered to network while enjoying a complimentary selection of beer, wine and hors d’oeuvres paired with Honest Tea samples. A special thanks to Ridgewells Catering for furnishing the evening’s tasty tidbits.
Upon arriving, guests received individual gift bags packed with the latest samples of Honest Tea and other goodies courtesy of The Coca Cola Company, presenting sponsor for the event. Working with AMADC, Honest Tea unveiled a special commemorative “AMADC Tea” label for the event – WHERE MARKETING POWER PLAYS (AND SIPS). AMADC would like to thank the following sponsors and partners for their generous support: The Coca-Cola Company, Goodwill of Greater Washington, Ridgewells Catering, Imijination Photography, Stand for Art Foundation, Global Printing and Pixels and Ink, Incorporated. Read the full event highlight at www.amadc.org/news

New Member Welcome

Michelle Bacon, Sedric Banks, Andrea Burkhart, Becky Carter, Aquilla Chambers, Casey Corbin, Beth Dailey, Margaret Dyer, Lori Esposito, Sherri Green, Angela Hausman, Scott Lavine, Frank MacPherson, Brittney Marthaller, Favio Martinez, Amy McCaskill, Edward O'Connell, Gary Officer, Renu Pavate, Rosha Peavy, Marc Ramsey, Alexis Rice, Jennifer Shreve, Debra Turkat, Yao Tyus, Alison Wheeler, Patrick Wilson, Cynthnia Young-Woodruff.

Save Money with Multiple Members
The AMA Group Membership program is available to professional marketers and academics in the same organization or parent company regardless of geographic location. Group is defined as four or more people receiving a paycheck from the same employer.

AMADC is pleased to welcome Congressional Quarterly Roll Call’s five new members, and Corporate Executive’s six additional members!

You already know the benefits associated with AMA membership; why not pass them along to your colleagues? As members of the American Marketing Association, your team will tap into resources that help them address day-to-day challenges and stay at the forefront of marketing thinking and practices. Contact Wade Osborne, VP Membership, at wade.osborne@amadc.org today to learn more!

Discover the Value of Membership through Volunteering

Take your membership to the next level by volunteering with one of the largest AMA chapters in the Nation – AMADC. The association is almost all volunteer-driven so we appreciate all the help we can get from our members. We know your time is valuable so we have many different levels of involvement you can take part in to match your schedule – from one-time tasks to high-visibility director-level positions.

To learn more about opportunities and benefits, visit our Volunteer page or contact AMADC's VP of Member Engagement, Nelissa Okamato, at Nelissa.Okamoto@amadc.org.

AMADC: The Best Place to Reach Marketing Professionals

Search no further. The AMADC can help connect you to the largest network of experienced marketing professionals in the Washington, DC/Maryland/Northern Virginia area. Our sponsors benefit from increased opportunities to connect with area business professionals in addition to top-notch exposure to a narrowly targeted market.

Whether your objective is to increase brand awareness, impress and retain existing customers or acquire new opportunities to open doors to your audience, the AMADC has a sponsorship package that will assist you to reach your goal.

Engaging Bloggers is Easier than You Think

Mention the phrase “blogger engagement” to today’s marketer, and you’re likely to get an eager response, followed by self-professed ignorance. “We’d love to do that—we just don’t know how.” To some, this scenario spells new business.

Indeed, the best way to understand bloggers is to view them as members of the media. Think of blogger engagement as public relations, albeit a new kind. Neither straight reporter nor pure pundit, the blogger is a hybrid creature who observes his own rules. Instead, in order to get the results you want, it would behoove you to treat bloggers on their terms, not your own.

Here are nine of these terms—with the caveat that only after you know the rules is it ok to break them.

1. Write As if Your E-mail Will Be Published
2. Connect and Flatter
3. Make Your Pitch
4. Exude Enthusiasm
5. Don’t Pitch
6. Be Brief
7. Make the Ask
8. Exploit the Subject Line
9. Practice Full Disclosure

Read the full article at www.amadc.org/news

AMADC is Your Social Media Hub for Industry News & Trends

Whether you are new to the local Chapter or a long-time member, there are a number of ways to add value and spice up your membership by getting plugged in to the latest job posts, industry insights, and event announcements through our social media networks.

Love Twitter's real-time interface and short bursts of information? Follow us at @amadc and check out our AMADC member list to connect with other Chapter members. Don't see your handle on the list? Shoot us a DM and we'll add you after we verify your membership.

If you are among the millions of users engaging with brands on Facebook, you can join the AMADC Chapter group or become one of our fans. If you're new to the Chapter, have a question about a best practice, or come across an article you just have to share, we welcome and encourage your posts.

Maybe LinkedIn's more traditional networking set-up is more your style. You can connect with the Chapter there too. Join fellow, local marketing professionals in our LinkedIn group for job posts, industry news and weekly discussions.

Join them all so you can be part of Where Marketing Power Plays!

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