AMS Distinguished Marketing Practitioner Award
The AMS Distinguished Marketing Practitioner Award recognizes individuals who have distinguished themselves in the fields of business and/or public policy. This prestigious award is reserved for high-level officers, such as presidents, CMOs, CEOs, board chairs, executive directors and owners of sizable and well-known organizations.
Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for the AMS Distinguished Marketing Practitioner Award, candidates must meet the following criteria:
The recipient should hold a significant leadership role within a large organization, such as president, CMO, CEO, board chair, executive director or owner.
Candidates must have a track record of noteworthy achievements that have made a substantial impact in their field of expertise.
The recipient should have consistently acted with integrity and upheld high ethical standards throughout their professional career.
Selection Process
Selection Committee: At the AMS Annual Conference, the chair of the Board of Governors will appoint a committee consisting of three governors. This committee will be responsible for identifying potential candidates and making the final selection for the AMS Distinguished Marketing Practitioner Award. The chair of the Board of Governors may also appoint the chair of the nominating and selection committee or instruct the committee to select its own chair.
Call for Nominations: A call for nominations will be issued by December 1 of each year, targeting the Board of Governors and Distinguished Fellows. The call will provide a comprehensive description of the award and its requirements. Additionally, the call for nominations will be published in AMS Quarterly. Nominators will be asked to submit a brief statement (fewer than 100 words) justifying the nominee's worthiness for the award, along with the nominee's resume. They will also be required to assess whether the nominee has consistently demonstrated integrity and upheld high ethical standards.
Committee Evaluation and Ranking: By December 15, the chair of the nominating and selection committee will convene the committee to evaluate the candidates and rank them accordingly. The rankings will be shared with the AMS President and the Board of Governors for review and approval. The president and the board may grant permission to proceed or request the committee to reconvene for further deliberation.
Winner Notification: Once the nominees have been approved, the chair of the nominating and selection committee will reach out to the highest-ranking nominee on the list. In the event that the highest-ranking nominee declines, subsequent nominees will be contacted in order of their ranking.
Winner Recognition
Recipients of the AMS Distinguished Marketing Practitioner Award will be honored with a plaque, acknowledging their exceptional achievements and contributions.
Past Winners:
1975: Paul B. Townsend, Owner/Editor, Long Island Review
1977: Patrick J. Ross, President, B.F. Goodrich Tire Co.
1978: Sol Polk, President, Polk Brothers Chicago
1979: Edward D. Fox, University of Miami
1980: John D. Wallace, President - Wallace Hardware Co. Inc.
1981: Miami Beach, FL: Jane C. Cousins, President, Cousins Associates Inc., Merrill Lynch, Realty
1982: Harry Wald, President and CEO, Caesars Palace
1983: Anthony Burns, President and CEO, Ryder Systems Inc.
1984: Harry Tishelman, Senior Vice President, M&T Bank
1985: Miami Beach, FL: J. Jeffrey Campbell, Chairman and CEO - Burger King Corporation
1986: Masaka Ogi, President, Fujitsu America, Inc.
1987: Dr. Virginia Dodge Fielder, Vice President - News and Circulation, Knight Ridder
1988: Pierre Lortie, Chairman and CEO, Provigo, Inc
1989: George V. Grune, Chairman and CEO, Reader's Digest
1990: Bob Powell, Senior Vice President, Piccadilly Cafeterias
1991: James E. Preston, CEO, Avon Products Inc.
1992: Jack Goodall, President, Foodmaker Inc
1993: David M. Friedson, President, Windmere Corp
1994: E. Douglas Grindstaff, President, Genesco
1995: Richard C. Bartlett, Vice Chairman - Mary Kay Corporation
1996: Alvin Eicoff, Chairman of the Board, Eicoff and Company
1997: Lester M. Alberthal, Jr, President, CEO, Electronic Data Systems
1998: Ross H. Roberts, Vice President, Ford Motor Co
1999: Erick J. Laine, President/CEO & Chairman, Alcas Corporation
2000: Brian E. Levy, President & CEO, Intertan Inc.
2001: Marvin J. Girouard, Chairman & CEO, Pier 1 Imports
2002: Mackey J. McDonald, Chairman, CEO & President, VF Corporation
2003: Robert L. Tillman, President & CEO, Lowe’s Corporation
2004: Clive Beddoe, President & CEO, WestJet
2005: Margaret Henderson Blair, RSC – The Quality Measurement Company
2006: Dr. Joseph Plummer Chief Research Officer, Advertising Research Foundation
2007: Anil Menon, Senior VP, Marketing and Strategy, IBM
2008: Matt Mannelly, President & CEO, Cannondale Bicycle Corp.
2009: Davis S. Ridley, Senior VP Marketing & Revenue Management, Southwest Airlines
2010: Donald R. Knauss, Chairman of the Board & CEO, Clorox Corp.
2011: Robbie Brozin, Co-Founder and CEO, Nando's Peri-Peri Restaurants International
2012: Anthony J. Palmer, CMO & Senior Vice President, Kimberly-Clark Corporation
2013: Amelia Morán Ceja, Ceja Vineyards, Napa Valley
2014: Mathew Berry, ESPN Senior Sports Analyst
2015: Dina Howell, CEO, Satchi & Satchi X
2016: Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney Corp.
2017: Ben Lee, Pierry Software
2018: Jeffrey S. Zehnder, Zehnder Communications
2019-2020: Not Awarded
2021: Scott Smith, Qualtrics
2023: Lyttleton "Lyt" Harris, Harris Investment Partnership
2024: Doug Wilson, Wilson Auto Group
2025: Michel Laroche, Royal Bank
