Lafayette's definitely got talent and they're ready to share what they know in our annual FREE lunch series continuing at Clarian Arnett Hospital on March 10 and 17. The fun starts each day at noon and... don't forget to bring your lunch!

Doors Open: 5:30pm
Cocktail Hour: 5:30-6:30pm
Doors Open to North Ballroom: 6:30pm
Dinner: 6:30pm
ADDYs: 7:15pm
RSVP By: 5 pm, February 17th

The American Advertising Federation - North Central Indiana (AAF-NCI) 2010 ADDY Awards Banquet will be held on Monday, February 22, 2010 at the Purdue Memorial Union Ballrooms. The ADDYs is conducted annually by the American Advertising Federation (AAF) which is a three-tier, national competition recognizing exceptional advertising and marketing created in the Greater Lafayette area in all media including print, broadcast, out-of-home and public service. All work submitted must have been published or aired between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009.

The winners will be announced during an awards program that evening. Gold ADDY award winners will be automatically advanced to the district competition that will be held in March.

For more information check out our ADDY page: click here.

Free and Everyone Welcome... Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the holidays and spend some time relaxing with your AdFed buddies at What Not to Wear 2009. The NCI Elves (aka board of directors) have planned a fun night at a fun place. Dig through your closet and dress to impress when you join us after work for mingling and munching.

Bring a gift to donate ($10 value) for CFRC and get a chance to win a free ADDY entry!

What do Washington D.C. and Lafayette, Indiana have in common? Plenty! Learn what the AAF is doing for members like you in a grassroots campaign to protect our industry. Find out how AAF can help your company succeed in a tough economy. Learn first hand about pending legislation that could affect your pocketbook. And learn critical lessons from an industry veteran to ensure you never hear: You're fired!

About the Speaker

As President and CEO of the American Advertising Federation, James Edmund Datri serves as the AAF's national leader and chief spokesman, representing nearly 40,000 members - including nearly 100 corporate members, comprising media, advertising agencies, and advertisers; 200 local ad clubs; and 225 college chapters.

Datri is well known for his leadership in government, politics, and public policy. He served as executive director of the Democratic Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2003 to 2005. He held senior positions in the U.S. Congress, including positions with Congressman (now United States Senator) Robert Menendez (D-N.J.); Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), whose congressional district includes New York's Madison Avenue; and Congressman Sander Levin (D-Mich.).

During his tenure on Capitol Hill, Datri earned a well-deserved reputation as an effective problem solver and coalition builder. National Journal reported in a June 21, 2003, profile: "When a problem arises in the ... ranks of the House Democratic Caucus, Datri is the staffer to whom [Chairman] Menendez and other lawmakers turn first," and "Datri directed a series of policy forums on economic and security issues that helped forge consensus among ideologically diverse House Democrats."

Datri was named five times to Roll Call's "Fabulous Fifty" list of the 50 most influential advisers and strategists on Capitol Hill. He is an experienced speechwriter and has written speeches given in prime time at the 2000 and 2004 Democratic National Conventions.

Datri is also an attorney and was a partner at two large law firms: Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, an AAF member; and McDermott Will & Emery, one of the 10 largest law firms in the United States, where Datri was a key member of McDermott's Government Strategies Practice Group, led by former Massachusetts Governor William Weld (R).

Datri has been engaged in advertising issues throughout his career. During his time on Capitol Hill, he worked to protect the full deductibility of advertising expenses. He worked with the AAF during the foundation of the Mosaic Center on Multiculturalism, and on the AAF's first Summit on Diversity in the advertising industry, held in Washington, D.C. He worked with the Clinton White House on the executive order signed in October of 2000 that established the first multicultural advertising guidelines for federal government departments and agencies. And Datri currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Ad Council, the Advertising Educational Foundation, and the National Advertising Review Council.

Datri, a New York City native, earned his Juris Doctor in 1992 from Harvard Law School, where he served as managing editor of the Harvard Law Record, and he earned his Bachelor of Arts, with honors, in 1989 from the University of California, Santa Cruz, where he was a University of California Regents Scholar.

*Held in conjunction with the full day postal conference - more details to come.

Even with the boom of the Internet, sometimes messages can best be conveyed through tried and tested Direct Mail. Learn how to make your mail smarter as Dana Foster leads you through an Extreme Makeover of the postal kind!

About the Speaker

With more than twenty years of business experience within a 75 billion dollar corporation (the United States Postal Service) Dana has worked in many cross-functional departments throughout the country from complex processing and distribution operations, to advertising and promotions, marketing and sales, and program management.

Their current primary responsibilities include full profit and loss accountability for more than $1 billion in revenue, new business development and business alliance agreement acquisition within the Great Lakes Region, and management of a core team of regional sales professional located throughout the area.

He holds an M.B.A. and Bachelor of Science degree in business management and is also a graduate of the prestigious Center of Creative Leadership and Ardath Burkhart series executive training programs. Furthermore, he is a certified direct mail specialist and certified training consultant who has effectively helped a multitude of companies build, grow, and / or reinvent their business.

They have served the nation in the United States Military in an elite forces field unit based in Germany, holds a U.S. Patent in manufacturing and became a published author in 2003. He's been a board member for a local chapter of the National Speakers Association and has created a speaking format to help students to become better prepared for the future through a strategic program called Morphing.

His hobbies include coaching youth basketball teams, and participating in fundraising event programs such as Relay for Life for cancer research and development.

Bonus Toolkit

Additional programming immediately following the luncheon - "Bonus Toolkit - Ask the Experts""with Dana Foster, USPS; Virginia Myers, M.A.I.L. Inc.; Richard Hines, IDC; Terry Lucterhand, Lafayette Printing; and Arvid Olson, Faith Baptist Church. Get in depth answers to your direct mail questions about lists, strategy, design, etc.

Sow the seeds of creativity and reap bushels of new ideas. Cerebral Harvest is coming....and you don't even need a combine!

Join your AAF-NCI buddies at the American Advertising Federation District 6 Fall Conference is scheduled for Oct. 2 and 3, at the new Parkview Field in centrally located Fort Wayne, Indiana, with the sponsoring club AAF - Ft. Wayne.

The conference promises acres of innovative (and entertaining) strategies to help you grow professionally and "doctor" up your expertise. Learn how two friends turned quilted country fabrics, hard work and creativity into international powerhouse, Vera Bradley. Monica Edwards, the company's marketing director shares some of their secrets to success in our Friday keynote program. Visit the AAF District 6 Website for a full program schedule. http://www.aafd6.info/fall-conference.

Although the first wave of baby boomers turned 60 in 2006, they are a viable, dynamic consumer group that will continue to evolve for many years to come - requiring boomer-targeted marketing strategies to be equally dynamic and insightful. Weigelt uses his expertise answer "what's next" in boomer marketing. He'll examine the latest trends and movements shaping the future of boomer marketing and teach us how to build value and get results on the latest digital marketing strategies to reach baby boomers. Representing the only Internet marketing agency in the U.S. focused on the 50-plus markets.

About the Speaker

David Weigelt is Marketing Strategist and Partner of Immersion Active. After attending Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College), David began his career at a creative services consultancy, where his roles ranged from managing the service bureau to consulting with local designers and marketers. He then moved on to the world's largest aviation association, Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA), as their senior designer. While at AOPA, David was instrumental in the association's transition from a CompuServe bulletin board to a 30,000 page website and was responsible for development of their foundation's award winning e-learning platform. During this time, David became an adjunct instructor at Frederick Community College, where he taught various courses in marketing, design, and the Internet. Seeing that the Web offered an opportunity to create an even more relevant means of communication between individuals and companies, David, in concert with partner Jonathan Boehman, launched Immersion Active in 1998.

Since co-founding Immersion Active, David's primary responsibility has been within the marketing strategy and business development arenas. He is responsible for working with prospective clients to help them define their needs and goals, as well providing them with insight into ways to leverage digital media in their strategic marketing initiatives. In addition to his work at Immersion Active, David serves on the board of the local American Advertising Federation ad club and is an adjunct professor at McDaniel College. He co-authored dotBoom with Boehman.

Talk to any business leader today and sooner or later the words "innovation" and "creativity" will come up. But for many, these terms are simply buzzwords. Few truly now how to foster creativity and innovation in their workplace. And, fewer actually do it.

Gayle will share powerful techniques that you can take back to work - ideas that will help you capture the imagination of your colleagues, grow and nurture creativity to its full potential and recognize its powerful payback. You'll also learn new ways to think and maybe a few new dance moves to boot!

About the Speaker

Gayle Turner is managing consultant of Catch Your Limit Consulting's Richmond office. In addition to being one of the most genuine and fun loving people you will ever meet, Gayle is an experienced consultant, nationally recognized brander, resident film director/producer, actor, the team's all-star petanque competitor, backgammon, cards and chess player, Richmond's most loyal native son, chef, father, grandfather and music lover. And, to add to his long list of things he's passionate about ...we would have to rank facilitation, strategic thinking and idea generation right at the top.

A recognized brand authority in the United States, Gayle is a powerhouse advertising and communication speaker and has been a featured speaker regularly on the subjects of branding, marketing, sales and account service for ADWEEK Conferences.

Turner has consulted with some of the largest ad agencies in the world including Grey Global, Marc USA, Leo Burnett, BBDO, and Foote Cone Belding, helping them install new business systems, in many cases providing them with a process for clarifying their own brand and enabling them to strengthen the services they offer. He has been credited with creating ad campaigns that not only built brands and brand equity, but also delivered the highest sale days in the history of the advertisers' existence.

As the company Credo states, "Catch Your Limit is about people paying attention to people ... about the power of good ideas that passionate, motivated and fully energized people can generate." Gayle is best in the world at creating engaging environments, giving people confidence in their ideas and establishing a structure that helps all different types of people work together and achieve results.