The AAF’s Silver Medal Award Program was established in 1959 to recognize those who have made outstanding contributions to advertising and who have been active in furthering the industry’s standards, creative excellence, and responsibility in areas of social concern.

Annually, clubs across the country bestow this national AAF honor upon outstanding members of the local advertising community. The AAF Silver Medal is considered the equivalent of a lifetime achievement award and is the highest award that can be given by AAF Montgomery. Silver Medal recipients are selected by a panel of judges from each local club.

How we choose

The Silver Medal committee chooses the recipient from the nominations based on the following criteria:

  • Contribution to their company. The recipient must be a successful leader at an ad agency, advertiser, media outlet, or advertising service in central Alabama.
  • Contribution to the advancement of advertising. The recipient must have worked to increase the stature and raise the standards of the advertising profession, and have a history of volunteering with the AAF.
  • Contribution to the community. The recipient should be actively involved as someone who gives back to the community.

Have a nomination?

Tell us about them by sharing their accomplishments with the world–nominating them for the AAF Silver Medal Award. Submit nominations to president@aafmontgomery.org.

Deadline for submissions is January 31 each year. If the committee chooses an honoree, the award will be presented on at the American Advertising Awards the same year.

aaf montgomery sliver medal recipients

1962 P.W. Walsh, Advertiser-Journal
1963 Bob Pearson, Capitol Outdoor Advertising
1963 Hugh Smith, WCOV Radio & TV
1964 Ed Wise, Paragon Press
1965 Bill Lynn, Lynn Advertising
1966 Jay Leavell, Leavell Advertising
1968 Tommy Kimbrough, Kimbrough & Associates
1969 H.W. “Pop” Parks, Midstate Advertising
1970 Bob Villar, WSFA-TV
1971 Ed Pepperman, U.S. Brewers Association
1972 Gentry Martin, Union Bank
1973 H.O. Davis, Jeff Davis Hotel
1974 Bob Smith, Advertiser-Journal
1975 Paul Robertson, Paul Robertson Photography
1976 Bamber Cox, Winn Dixie
1977 Marvin Brokaw, First Alabama Bank
1978 Jim Young, Advertiser-Journal
1979 Bill Backvold, Advertiser-Journal
1981 Harold Bearden, Brigadier Sound
1982 Margaret Carpenter, Compos-it

1983 Jay Leavell, Leavell, Wise, Turner Advertising
1984 Duncan Black, Cunningham, Black & Farley
1985 Jack Galassini, Galassini & Associates
1986 Karl Richards, WCOV-TV
1987 John Rogers, WKAB-TV
1988 Ed Morgan, Morgan Advertising
1989 Spede Bryan, Gayfers
1990 John Matthews, Creative Consultants
1991 Richard Amberg, Montgomery Advertiser
1992 Carolyn Salay, Salay Advertising
1993 James Belton, WSFA-TV
1994 Jerry Britton, Britton Advertising
1995 Bill Cunningham, Cunningham Group
1996-2004 unknown
2008 Lifetime Membership, James Belton
2010 Cindy Scott, LWT Communications
2011 Nell Rankin, Copperwing Design
2013 Kim Traff, RSVP Magazine
2014 Joe Birdwell, Joe and Robin Do Something
2019 Angela Stiff, Copperwing Design