Each year AMA OKC awards the best and brightest in the Oklahoma marketing industry by giving individual recognition to those that set themselves apart from the crowd. These award winners are nominated by their peers, judged by AMA OKC’s Board of Advisors, and awarded based on merit. Nominations for individual awards open alongside our Marketing Excellence Award submissions and are awarded the night of the event. Check out our current and past award winners below.
Current Winner: Erin Acuff
Erin Acuff, Vice President of Client Strategy at Insight Creative Group wins Marketer of the Year.
Erin Acuff is the beginning, middle and end of every marketing project, service or account that takes place within Insight Creative Group. She is the strategy that kicks things off, the expert that pushes it forward, and the relationship that keeps our clients coming back. Since Erin joined ICG, she has been directly responsible for the growth of ICG and the growth of many Oklahoma-based clients. Having cut her teeth on the media planning desk for a large agency in Chicago, Erin brings an expertise that is seldom found in our market. Though she has worked on accounts for nationally-known brands, Erin gives her all into every account she works on.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Erin for the last 5.5 years. No one better exemplifies the term “hub of the wheel” than Erin. Not only is she tremendously hard-working, but she understands each and every component of a 360-degree marketing campaign and how each element works together to maximize effectiveness. She’s the person you always want putting eyes on your work before you share it with others, and the last person you want signing off before you send it in.” – Tricia Rogers (Account Director). Erin’s role at ICG has allowed her to oversee all of ICG’s client-facing work, including all of ICG’s account managers, account executives, and account directors, as well as ICG’s marketing and strategy team including media planning, buying, and social media management. In addition to this prestigious achievement, Erin is also a member of the Oklahoma City chapter of the American Marketing Association and volunteers for Saint Philip Neri Catholic School. When Erin isn’t making waves in the OKC marketing scene, you can find her and her husband Ryan spending time on the lake with their three children, Connor, Nora, and Cullen.
- 2022 Erin Acuff, Insight Creative Group
- 2021 Christine Golden, SigniFI Elite Advisor Brands
- 2018 Jennifer Mullins
- 2017 Jonathan Fowler
- 2016 David Woods
- 2015 Jill Castilla
- 2012 Kristen Vails
Current Winner: Sandra Payne
Sandra Payne, SSM Health St. Anthony’s Regional Director, Marketing and Communications- Oklahoma receives Oklahoma City’s American Marketing Association’s “Lifetime Achievement Award.”
Sandra has led SSM Health’s marketing initiatives through many changes during her tenure. Most notably, she led the region-wide branding transition from St. Anthony to SSM Health St. Anthony, incorporating the name of the hospital’s parent company headquartered in St. Louis and recently has helped SSM Health St. Anthony grow from a single downtown hospital to a multi-site hospital network in central Oklahoma. At each step, Sandra understood and helped balance the historical connection that people had with St. Anthony with the importance of change in the healthcare space. She did this all by continuing to promote storytelling and consumer connection, in addition to achieving goals to reach business objectives. Sandra continues to understand the healthcare space, the marketing challenges that are present and that are always evolving, and she continues to raise the bar. Marketing healthcare in a Covid-world has required resilience, and Sandra has been a shining light through these times.
In addition to having over 30 years of healthcare marketing experience in the Oklahoma CIty area, Sandra has also been an active teacher and mentor to aspiring marketers. She serves on the faculty of the University of Phoenix, teaching healthcare marketing, PR, and communication principles. She mentored staff throughout the numerous roles she has played at SSM Health, and she always treats people with kindness and compassion. Additionally, Sandra has been a strong community supporter, being a longtime volunteer and board member for organizations like the RedBud Foundation.
Throughout her professional career, Sandra has created art by collaborating with doctors, nurses, patients, administrators, and leadership on various projects. Sandra continually has the audience in mind. Over the years, Sandra has taught various individuals about marketing and professionalism and has truly made a big impact on healthcare in Oklahoma.
- 2022 Sandra Payne, SSM Health St Anthony
- 2021 Greta Anglin, VI Marketing & Branding
- 2020 Sjonna Paulson, TSET (Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust)
- 2019 Kathy Oden-Hall, Paycom
- 2022 Nicole Smith
- 2021 Matt Morgan
- 2020 Kristen Southerland & Matt Farley
- 2019 Ann E Freeman & Bridget Rosebeary
- 2018 Michael Smith & Shannon Carr
- 2017 Jennifer Shrewsbury
- 2016 Caroyln Kelly
- 2010 Stewart Law
- 2022 Allie Carrack
- 2021 Matt Farley
- 2022 Coin Creative for Calm Waters Brand Launch
- 2021 VI Marketing & Branding for Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department Fishing Trail
- 2020 VI Marketing & Branding for TSET – Tobacco Stops with Me, Protect Our Youth
- 2019 Paycom for Deep Dive Campaign
- 2018 Greater OKC Chamber of Commerce for Safer Streets Better OKC
- 2017 VI Marketing & Branding
- 2016 VI Marketing & Branding for PSO