Advertising Person of the Year/ Silver Medal Award

The Silver Medal  Award -- also known as the Advertising Person of the Year Award -- was established in 1959 by The American Advertising Federation to recognize men and women who have made outstanding contributions to the advertising industry. The award recipients are those active in furthering industry standards, creative excellence and responsibility in areas of social concern. Annually, AAF member clubs bestow this honor upon outstanding members of the local advertising community.

Each year, The ADVERTISING Club celebrates Advertising Person of the Year at a 'Roast & Toast' cocktail reception. Proceeds from this event help fund a scholarship in the recipient's name.

Past recipients of The ADVERTISING Club's Advertising Person of the Year Award include:

• Bob Lachky, formerly with Anheuser-Busch (2009)
• Tony Ponturo, CEO, Ponturo Management Group, formerly with Anheuser-Busch (2009)
• Lawrence Flanagan, MasterCard (2008)
• Bobby Shriver, Product RED (2007)

• Wenda Harris Millard, Yahoo! (2006)
• Andrea Alstrup, Johnson & Johnson (2004)

• Jim McDowell, BMW of North America (2003)
• John Hayes, American Express (2002)
• Keith Reinhard, DDB Worldwide (1999)
• Phil Guarascio, General Motors (1998)
• David Bell, True North Communications (1997)
• Burt Manning, J. Walter Thompson (1996)
• Leslie Winthrop, AAR Partners (1995)
• Ruth Wooden, The Advertising Council (1994)
• Ed Wax, Saatchi & Saatchi (1993)
• Harry Pastor, AAAA (1992)
• Dick O'Connor, Lintas: Campbell-Ewald (1991)
• John O' Toole, AAAA (1990)
• Harold Levine, Levine, Huntley, Schmidt, & Beaver (1989)
• Gene Kummel, McCann Erickson (1988)
• Pen Tudor, A/S/M Communications (1987)
• Chuck Peebler, Bozell Worldwide (1986)
• Sylvan Barnet, IAA (1985)