AAF Club Committees and How They Function

Each local club has its own unique combination of committees to plan and implement the many activities and functions required for successful operations. Here are a few of the more universally designated committees and their functions.

Selecting volunteers for committees can relieve pressure on the board and accomplish great things.

American Advertising Awards: Professional and Student Competitions

This committee produces the local American Advertising Award show. Volunteer possibilities begin in the fall and include concept, sponsorships, writing and graphic design assistance for call for entries, program, developing show concept; finding judges and coordinating their travel; helping with actual entry and judging coordination; developing and participating in skits; decorations and producing the show and event.

Communications

The Communications committee produces communications to our members and prospective members including writing, editing, designing, gathering photos for: website, Facebook, Twitter, eNews, and printed communications.

Proofreading

The president and/or a proofreader, who is not the person who created or wrote the item, must review (prior to production) all materials produced and distributed to the membership or general public.

Deadlines and Requests

Communications provides a schedule for all printed items along with guidelines for how to send out information about each committee through other AAF channels.

Public Relations and Media

Spreads the news of AAF, either general club news or public relations for specific events and committees. Monthly tasks include creating and disseminating press releases and publicity campaigns. This committee works directly with reporters and the media to create news about events, programs, speakers and more.

Government Relations

Monitor legal issues surrounding the advertising industry and keep the board and membership informed as issues arise that could affect the industry and also determine how best to address the issues. Government Relations will also work to forge a deeper relationship with local and state government leaders to benefit the public profile of AAF’s contributions to our area and impact on the state’s economy.

Student Outreach

The purpose of this committee is to improve communications, share programs and increase educational opportunities between AAF and area students including high schools, colleges and universities. Activities may include helping to maintain student AAF Chapters and technical college system, organizing scholarship efforts, helping to administrate internship programs through local colleges at area agencies, developing and running workshops and conferences and coordinating student sponsorships (by local professionals) so that students can attend monthly membership meetings at no cost.

Fundraising

This committee will handle all club fundraising events. Based on income goals and budget responsibilities, Fundraising may also produce a Spring/early Summer fundraiser.

Responsibilities begin in late Summer/early fall and include concept, writing and design, invitations and posters, event planning, finding and coordinating donated items and media, event photography and PR and coordination and decoration for actual events.

Develop a symbiotic relationship for area businesses and AAF by providing sponsors with value and the club with financial support. Gather and access all sponsorship needs. Work with Communications and committee chairs to ensure sponsors are being advertised. Make sure sponsors are mentioned/implemented at each event/program. Follow up with sponsors after each event.

Social and Special Events

This committee is responsible for planning, supervising and promoting attendance at social activities of the Ad Fed during the fiscal year. Such an event might be an auction, fundraiser, or other social event.

Membership

This committee will retain and engage current club members. Volunteer efforts include maintaining a current membership roster, managing phone committees, serving as a greeter and/or sign-in table assistant for member meetings, maintaining nametags, developing and implementing member service strategies, producing a membership directory and helping to conduct member survey.

This committee will also recruit quality new members. Efforts include creating necessary recruitment materials and strategies, getting potential member targets to attend meetings and making sure that everything is in order to welcome them properly, developing and implementing a membership drive and helping to conduct a member survey.

Community Outreach and Diversity

This committee will find and serve pro bono marketing and advertising support opportunities to organizations serving our community. The committee may choose to adopt any current focus of the national AAF or discover and serve creative opportunities that serve the club’s goals and initiatives.

This committee works to increase the cultural diversity of our membership by coordinating activities with other committees. Responsibilities include assisting with membership recruitment, assisting in scheduling speakers who bring new ideas on multiculturalism to the industry, working with Student Outreach to recognize top minority talent for entry-level positions, getting the membership to participate in activities that increase understanding of diversity and its importance in careers and the workplace, as well as connect minority students with professionals in the industry.

Programs and Workshops

The purpose of this committee is to find speakers for monthly membership meetings and/or workshops and to coordinate the speaker’s travel.

Programs is to provide all of the important information, including but not limited to, the speaker’s bio, headshot and program content description, for upcoming speakers in a timely manner to the Communications committee for the purpose of promoting program content to members and external media partners.

Work alongside Workshops to implement multi-use of speakers provided and enhancement of workshops.

Audit

Examines the AAF club’s books to ensure proper accounting procedures have been followed. The Chairperson of the Audit Committee shall give a report to the Board of Directors stating the committee’s discoveries. This report shall be filed with the Secretary in the official notebook of minutes, with a copy sent to the accountants.

Phone Call and Welcoming

The purpose of this committee is to promote meeting attendance by activating a telephone call committee to determine expected attendance to notify the appropriate officers and committee chairs with an estimated head count prior to the club’s regular meetings.

Members of the committee are responsible for welcoming members and guests to the meetings. The committee is also responsible for decorations at the regular meetings (if needed) and for the selection of an alternative meeting facility and providing the Board with recommendation should the need arise.

By-Laws

This committee shall meet as needed to review the By-Laws and recommend changes to the Board. Any changes, approved by the Board, will be presented to the club membership for vote as provided in the By-Laws.

It is the responsibility of the By-Laws Committee Chairperson to provide the Ad Fed membership a copy of the existing By-Laws as well as a copy of the amended By-Laws being proposed. The Board may, at its discretion, call more than one meeting of this committee during the fiscal year.

Historian

This committee will be responsible for keeping a complete roster of past presidents and Silver Medalists of the Ad Fed, as well as document a written history of the organization. The past president preceding the Immediate Past President often serves as Chairperson of this committee.

Silver Medal

This committee functions to secure a nomination for recognition through the AAF Silver Medal Award Competition. Tasks include soliciting nominations, securing judges (usually a group of past Silver Medal recipients and past presidents).

The Committee Chairperson is responsible for contacting the company or firm of the recipient as well as notifying the immediate family in order for them to attend the presentation to the winner.

The Committee Chairperson is also responsible for presenting or selecting a candidate to present the award on behalf of the Ad Fed. The Chairperson shall be responsible for securing the award from AAF’s National Headquarters.