Tampa Bay business professionals attend national marketing conference, set membership records

TAMPA - The American Marketing Association (AMA), Tampa Bay chapter, took Chicago by storm April 20-22, as they attended the AMA Leadership Summit 2007. The Tampa Bay chapter sent the second largest contingent of volunteers in the country to the event which trains chapter leadership for the upcoming year.

“Our volunteer board leaders in Tampa Bay have incredible talent, enthusiasm and dedication, and to take this chapter to the next level, our board’s attendance was crucial to elevate the opportunities for our current and future members,” says chapter president, Karin Arden of JFD Advertising & Public Relations. “We have made amazing strides in the past nine months and predict an unprecedented period of growth in our future, along with enhanced programming and sponsorship opportunities.”

That future is already taking shape as the chapter has experienced a record-breaking surge in membership, increasing its numbers by 60 percent since July 2006. The organization is currently in the middle of a membership drive, offering discounted fees for joining through June 15th.

Velma Knowles, of AAA South, the chapter’s VP of Membership agrees. “Our commitment to providing great service and programming to our members really shows. We have showcased great speakers and brands for our local business community and the learning and networking
opportunities can’t be beat.”


Speakers for the local chapter in the last year having represented major national brands, including Chick-fil-A, Melitta, American Heart Association, SendTec and most recently, JetBlue Airlines. Upcoming events will feature Audio Visual Innovations, Univision, Clear Channel Radio and Ken Banks Marketing.

The American Marketing Association, one of the largest professional associations for marketers, has 38,000 members worldwide in every area of marketing. For over six decades the AMA has been the leading source for information, knowledge sharing and development in the marketing profession.

The Tampa Bay Chapter of the AMA, with more than 270 members, is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating the professional marketing community. The chapter’s Web site is located at www.amatampabay.org.