The ADVERTISING Club of New York, the industry's leading professional organization representing the advertising, media, marketing and ad-tech industries, welcomed new Chairman of the Board Mari Kim Novak, President of Stillwell Partners, along with adding five new board members and elevating three existing members to new posts at its 121st Annual Meeting of Members. The event took place at the Time Inc. building in New York on July 12th.

Novak has been an active and influential member of The AD Club's executive committee for nine years, where she most recently served as Senior Vice President. Prior to becoming President of Stillwell Partners, which owns and operates Advertising Week, Novak was Chief Marketing Officer at Rubicon Project. Prior to that, she spent a decade at Microsoft, where she served as global head of marketing. She will continue to build on The AD Club's momentum and commitment to furthering diversity within the industry which was a primary focus of outgoing Chair, Carl Freemont, Chief Digital Officer at MEC Global.

"In an industry that's changing on a daily basis, The AD Club has never been more relevant and necessary. By keeping our members abreast of the latest tech innovations and trends impacting our industry, highlighting the latest business models, and nurturing talent to jumpstart careers, the Club provides resources and insights into every sector of our business," said Novak. "I'm proud to be leading an organization that has truly proven its commitment to diversity, creative excellence and talent development within the Club's membership and the industry at large."

The list of Board Officers and Directors include:

Officers:

• For Senior Vice President: Lee Nadler, Marketing Communications Manager, MINI USA
• For Vice President: Sandra Sims-Williams, Chief Diversity Officer, Publicis Groupe
• For Chairman Emeritus: Carl Fremont, Global, Chief Digital Officer, MEC Global

Directors:

• Katrina Craigwell, Global Director of Marketing Innovation, GE
• Jennifer Gardner, Senior Director, Media, Unilever North
• Andrew Keller, Global Creative Director, Facebook
• Danielle Koffer, VP Media, Global Communications, Colgate-Palmolive
• Bill Westcott, SVP, MediaLink

Under Carl Fremont's leadership, The AD Club has expanded its membership base to include a much larger portion of both ad tech and data-centric companies to ensure the organization is delivering on its promise to serve as a unifier within the industry. In addition, his hands-on role with the Young Pros continued to build on leadership opportunities for this next generation of industry leaders. At the same time, The AD Club continued to roll out game-changing programming, which has made a real difference in diversifying the industry.

The AD Club also recognized recipients of the 2017 President's Award, which is granted to individuals and organizations who have demonstrated an outstanding volunteerism and commitment to the Club. They also honored a Rising Star, whose contributions have gone above and beyond. This year's recipients include:

President's Award

• Michelle Aragon, VP, Business Solutions, Magna Global
• Jayme Blasko, Awards Manager, BBDO
• Dina Brozzetti Manci, Director, Technology Media and Telecommunications Consulting, PwC
• Alden Davis, Project Manager, Deutsch
• Yanik Deschenes, Head of Global Communications, SID LEE
• Jennifer Gardner, Senior Director Media, Unilever
• Elyssa Gray, VP Brand, Betterment
• Kenneth Hein, Global Chief Communications Officer, gyro
• Dawn Longfield, Chief Marketing Officer, Davis & Gilbert LLP

Rising Star

• Michael Knopf, Director, MediaLink

"The spirit of volunteering is alive and well at The AD Club. We are grateful to have a membership of dedicated, creative and diverse leaders who provide support across the Club's key programs and initiatives," said Gina Grillo, President and CEO of The ADVERTISING Club of New York and the International ANDY Awards. "With Mari Kim as Chairman, I'm confident that we will continue to create a positive impact within our community."

About The ADVERTISING Club of New York:

The ADVERTISING Club of New York is a non-profit organization for corporate and individual members in the advertising, media, marketing and ad-tech industries. We provide education and networking opportunities to enhance professional development, expose members to innovation and technology, and provide access to influencers/companies across the entire advertising ecosystem, from agencies to clients. In addition to our #ImPART ground-breaking diversity programs, we oversee The International ANDY awards.