Silver Medal Award
What Is the Silver Medal Award?
The American Advertising Federation's Silver Medal Award Program was established in 1959 to recognize men and women who have made outstanding contributions to advertising. The ideal honoree has been active in furthering the industry's 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.
Silver Medal Award Recipients 1975-2019
2019: Jessica Cohen, Sr. Director of Strategic Communications, Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids
2018: Scott Williams, President, Newseum
2017: Karen Zuckerman, HZ Founder & Chief Creative Officer
2016: Martha M. Boudreau, EVP & Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, AARP
2015: Paul Duning, Co-Founder & Publisher, Capitol Communicator
2014: Alan Weitzman, Founder & Executive Creative Officer, Weitzman
2013: Karen Riordan, President, SmithGifford
2012: David Hunke, Chairman, USA TODAY
2011: Mike August, Principal, August Lang & Husak, Inc.
2010: Doug Laughlin, Founder & Chairman, LM&O Advertising
2009: Robert L. Whittle, President & CEO, Williams Whittle
2007: Michael Jack, President & General Manager, WRC-TV/NBC4
2006: Donald Graham, President & CEO, The Washington Post
2005: Alex Orfinger, Publisher, Washington Business Journal
2004: Cary Hatch, President, MDB Communications
2003: Dan Rosenthal, President, The Dan Rosenthal Company
2002: Chris Schroeder, Publisher, washingtonpost.newsweek interactive
2001: Cathy Hughes, Founder and Chairperson, Radio One
2000: Tom Curley, Publisher, USA Today
1999: Ted Leonsis, President,Interactive Properties Group, AOL
1998: John Hendricks, President, Discovery TV
1997: Robert Johnson, Chairman & CEO, BET Holdings, Inc.
1996: Paula Scanlon, Director, Communications, Bell Atlantic
1995: Richard Hindin, President, ADWORKS, Inc.
1994: Raleigh Schein, Director of Operations, Digital Ink.
1993: Michael Carberry, President & CEO, Henry J. Kaufman & Associates
1992: Howard H. Bell*, President Emeritus, American Advertising Federation
1991: Katharine Graham*, Chairman, The Washington Post
1990: Terry Coveny, Executive Creative Director, The Bomstein Agency
1989: Louis Limber*, The Washington Post
1988: David Abramson*, Chairman & CEO, Abramson, Ehrlich, Manes
1987: Jeanne Oates, Executive Director, National Multiple Sclerosis Society
1986: Jeb Brown, CEO, Earle Palmer Brown
1985: Jim Williams, Associate Director, Johns Hopkins Center for Communication
1984: Marilyn Hayden, Agency Executive, Earle Palmer Brown
1983: Charles Brotman, Chairman, C.J. Brotman Communications
1982: Joseph A. Pollard, Peoples Drug Store
1981: Joseph V. Arcaro*, The Washington Post
1980: Earle Palmer Brown*, Founder, Earle Palmer Brown
1979: John Panagos*, President, John Panagos Enterprises, Inc.
1978: Nella Manes, Agency Founder, Ehrlich, Manes
1977: Alvin J. Raider, Agency Founder, Raider Advertising
1976: Andrew M. Ockerhausen, Broadcast Exec., WMAL Radio, Home Team Sports
1975: Vernon Custer, Advertising Executive, Coca Cola
1974: Morton Salan*, Boarch Chairman and President, Kal and Salan Advertising
1972: William Coyle
1970: Morris I. Friedman
1969: Richard C. Vierbuchen, President, Exxon
1968: Norman C. Kal
1967: Alvin I. Miller
1966: Robert A. Bowerman*, Advertising Director, The Washington Post
1965: Norman W. Reed
1964: William F. Sigmund, Copy Chief, Henry J. Kaufman Advertising
1963: Harry L. Merrick, Sr., Vice President, Kal Ehrlich & Merrick, Advertising
1962: Henry J. Kaufman, Owner, Henry J. Kaufman Advertising
1961: Clayton R. Sanders
1960: Alvin Q. Ehrlich*, Chairman of the Board, Ehrlich, Manes & Associates
1959: W. Frank Gatewood*, Vice President for Advertising, The Washington Post
*deceased
(Company represented at the time of award presentation.)