President’s Message (2026)

If there’s one word I keep coming back to lately, it’s momentum. Somehow we blinked, wrapped another American Advertising Awards show, and now I’m wrapping up my term as President of the club.

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As we kick off this first edition of our newsletter, I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes this community so special. Yes, the work is incredible, but it’s really the people behind it. The collaboration, the support, the willingness to show up for each other. That’s what continues to push Buffalo’s creative community forward.

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This year’s show was such a strong reflection of the work coming out of Buffalo. We brought together around 250 attendees, 40+ companies, and nearly 350 submissions across professional and student work, with continued growth in participation from 6 local schools. It’s that kind of energy and momentum that makes this community so special.

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Zooming out a bit, this year’s award season also gave us a look at what’s happening nationally. There were around 21,000 total submissions across professional and student entries, which is down about 6% from last year. Winners at the District level will be notified directly with details on forwarding, and only Gold winners will receive trophies, shipped to the address provided at entry. Looking even further ahead, updated rules and categories are expected in early October, and we’ll be right on track to open entries locally in October as well.

Closer to home, we’re heading into a period of transition for AAF Buffalo’s leadership. We’ll also be saying goodbye to a few board members who have given so much to this club—their time, their energy, and their care. At the same time, we’re in the middle of thoughtful succession planning, and I’m really excited about what’s ahead. We’ll be announcing our next wave of leadership at the beginning of summer, and it’s something we’ve been approaching with intention. We are building on what’s been working while continuing to evolve alongside our community.

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Something I’m really excited to build on as I transition out of my current role is our advisory council. There are so many individuals who are a wealth of knowledge when it comes to this club, and we’d love to continue learning from them while keeping them connected to everything we’re building.

We’re also in the midst of wrapping up education initiatives for the current club year, while finishing out the 2026 season with new and exciting programming. There’s a lot in motion right now, and a lot to look forward to.

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As we move forward, the focus stays the same: creating meaningful opportunities for connection, growth, and support. Whether that’s continuing to build momentum behind initiatives, exploring new ways to collaborate across clubs, or simply creating spaces for people to come together. We’re committed to showing up in ways that matter.

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To everyone who’s been part of this club over the past year, thank you. This community works because of you.

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I’m so proud of this team and everything that’s ahead. See you all at our next event or the next newsletter! 🤗