Dear AMA SF community,

As we reflect on the past year, I want to take a moment to update you on the achievements and challenges of our chapter.

First, I want to acknowledge the number of in-person events was less than we had hoped for. As the Bay Area began to re-emerge in 2022 from the pandemic, we thought we’d be able to deliver more in-person events than ended up being possible.  Thankfully, we held two well-attended events in the second half of the year (punctuated by a festive holiday party with our friends at PRSA), and we look forward to providing more opportunities for our community to come together in 2023.

Nevertheless, our chapter has continued to thrive and grow. One of our biggest achievements has been the creation and implementation of the Bay Area Advertising and Marketing Mentor Program. This innovative program provides fantastic opportunities for our members to connect and learn from experienced, local marketing professionals. With over 30 pairs of mentors and mentees participating, the program has been a resounding success, and we look forward to growing and developing it. Thank you to our partners BAARC and sfBIG for helping get this program off the ground and for its continued success.

Another big win for our chapter was the launch of our Extern Academy, which provides valuable experience and networking opportunities for participating Bay Area small business members and junior marketers hungry for real-world experience. We are thrilled by the Academy’s first year which featured four small businesses with various marketing projects successfully executed by our 12 junior marketers, and work is well underway for the Extern Academy to help even more small businesses and junior marketers in 2023.

In addition to promising news about the new initiatives above, I also want to share some hard numbers that represent just a small part of all the hard work from the entire AMA SF team of volunteers in 2022:

• 14 blogs published from eight writers
• 3 Community Spotlights supporting local nonprofit organizations:
• 6 Volunteer Spotlights celebrating our AMAzing volunteers & Board members
• 4 very successful events (2 webinars, 2 in person)
• 33 marketing campaigns featuring 77 emails delivered and 34 social media posts supported on 4 platforms (LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook) 

Looking ahead to 2023, we will continue to focus on providing valuable networking and learning opportunities for our members. We have an exciting lineup of events and programs planned focusing on tech and innovation in marketing. We believe that staying at the forefront of these developments is crucial for the success of our members and the marketing industry as a whole.

In conclusion, I want to thank you all for your continued support and engagement with the American Marketing Association San Francisco Chapter. I also want to thank my entire board and team of amazing volunteers that made all of the above possible. 

Despite the challenges we have faced, I am confident that together we will continue to thrive and grow.

On behalf of all the volunteers and board members of the AMA SF, I want to wish you a year full of joy, peace, success, connectedness, and, most importantly, health for you and your loved ones.

Happy Holidays!

Gerardo Garcia-Jurado

President, AMA SF