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April 2008

It may be springtime, but I already have great news about next fall’s MarketingMasters luncheon lineup. Rick Burton, the chief marketing officer of the United States Olympic Committee, has agreed to keynote our kickoff luncheon on Friday, Sept. 5, at the Standard Club of Chicago. With Chicago pursuing the privilege of hosting the 2016 Summer Olympics, this represents a real honor for BMA.

I want to extend a big thank-you to Penry Price and Jim Lecinski of Google for the fabulous job they did at our March MarketingMasters luncheon seminar, which drew a near-record 287 attendees. This was the first time we have gone with a Q&A format at one of our luncheons, and it was a big success. Thanks to everyone who submitted questions before and during the program.

If you are a veteran trade show attendee, you know that these events are undergoing a metamorphosis. Michael Krauss, president of Market Strategy Group and the immediate past president our BMA chapter, will moderate a panel discussion on “The Shocking Truth About What’s Happening at Trade Shows” at BMA’s next Breakfast RoundTable on Tuesday, April 15, at IIT’s Stuart School of Business. It is a topic that will hit home with many of us at BMA, and I hope you can attend. To register, go here.

We have two terrific luncheon speakers to wind up the 2007-2008 program year. First, Advertising Age Agency Executive of the Year Richard Edelman will talk about the findings of the 2008 Edelman Trust Barometer on Thursday, April 17, at the University Club. Then Mark Gambill, chief marketing officer at CDW, will give us his perspective on the technology industry on Thursday, May 15, at the Mid-America Club.

The 25th annual Tower Awards ceremony and the Windy City Biz Bash are also just around the corner. Please mark your calendars!

This year’s Tower gala will be held on Wednesday, May 7, 2008, at Germania Place. Rick Kean, managing director of the Business Marketing Institute, will again be the emcee, and we thank Aquent Marketing Staffing and Getty Images for sponsoring the event. The seventh annual Biz Bash and auction will be held Thursday, June 5, at the Ivy Room at Tree Studios. This is the chapter’s major fund-raiser of the year, and it also is a terrific networking event featuring cocktails and heavy hors d’oeuvres, and both silent and live auctions. I hope you can come out for both of these fun evenings.

Finally, the election process for the chapter’s 2008-2009 board of directors is well under way. The nominating committee has submitted its slate of nominees but it is accepting other nominations. All of these will be presented at the April luncheon. Electronic voting will take place later this month and results will be announced in May. To learn more about the nomination process, go here. 

If you are not already a member of BMA, please consider joining today. You can join or register for BMA programs through the BMA Web site.

BMA members get the exclusive ability to download the PowerPoint deck and/or an audiocast from our monthly luncheon seminars in the first BMAIL of the following month.

Other exclusive members-only benefits include:

  1. The BMA/Chicago Directory
  2. Publications and white papers from the national BMA
  3. Eligibility for professional Marketing Skills Certification
  4. Member rates for guests joining you at BMA events
  5. Free postings to BMA/Chicago CareerLink listings

I look forward to seeing you at our next MarketingMasters luncheon on Thursday, April 17, at the University Club.

All the best,