February 27, 2010
Melissa Powell Nominated for AAF Sterling Service Award
Melissa Powell, creative director/co-owner of Powell Creative, Inc., has been nominated for the American Advertising Federation's (AAF) Tenth District Sterling Service Award. The winner will be announced at the District's annual convention in April.
Powell was nominated by the AAF-Northeast Arkansas chapter, whose members recognized her dedication and commitment both to the organization and to the growth and improvement of local advertising overall. A founding board member of the chapter, Powell served as the group's first secretary and later led its crucial start-up stages-developing bylaws, acquiring non-profit status, developing speaker luncheons, building funds and helping implement the first ADDY competition for our area.
As president (2008-2009) she realized many goals-increasing membership, acquiring more ADDY_entries, building a cushion of funds, and increasing district participation. Membership in AAF-Northeast Arkansas currently stands at well over 75 members from Jonesboro, Paragould, Batesville, Searcy and West Memphis. The group holds one of the largest memberships in relation to total population in the entire district.
A strong industry presence in the region, Powell is regularly called upon to speak, mentor students, review portfolios, contribute articles, and judge advertising and design competitions. She has been heavily involved in both local and district-wide AAF activities; attending the Convention in Fort Worth, a Governor's Retreat in Victoria, summer conferences in Abilene and Houston, and the Memphis Communigraphics and HOW conferences.
With more than two decades of marketing and design experience under her belt, Powell is the owner, creative director and controller for Powell Creative, Inc., a marketing company located in Jonesboro. Her team has supported the ADDY_competition both as sponsors and participants winning both local and district ADDY awards.
She is a board member of the Jonesboro University Rotary Club; a Paul Harris Fellow recipient; and a member of the Jonesboro Regional Chamber of Commerce for which she has served on several committees including Goodwill Ambassadors.
The purpose of the Sterling Service Award is to recognize members of Tenth District Advertising Clubs/Federations and the AAF who have made outstanding and unselfish contributions to the advertising industry.
The Tenth District of the American Advertising Federation represents the affiliate advertising clubs and federations of the AAF in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. The AAF is the only national grassroots trade association to encompass all segments of the advertising industry, including advertisers, agencies, media, college chapters and national trade associations engaged in various advertising pursuits.