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Distinguished Marketing Executive
Every fall, the American Marketing Association recognizes an executive who has made outstanding contributions to the discipline of marketing as well as to his or her local community. The individual selected to receive this award visits campus and shares with students their professional experiences. Students from all disciplines are invited to attend the presentation in the Union ballroom.
2025 Distinguished Marketing Executive - Kalie Hans
The American Marketing Association 2025 Distinguished Marketing Executive, sponsored by the UCM chapter of AMA and the Marketing program at UCM, is Ms. Kalie Hans, Chief Content Officer, Kansas City PBS. Kalie graduated from UCM with a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Central Missouri and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Missouri–Kansas City.
Kalie spoke to UCM students and faculty on Thursday, September 18, 2025, in the Elliott Student Union Auditorium.
Past recipients of this award are listed below.
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2024 – Megan Sheets (Vice President, Strategic Insights, United States Dairy Council)
- 2023 - Justin Watkins (CEO & Founder, Native Digital)
- 2022 - Clint Steiner (Senior Director Sales & Marketing Automotive OEM, Garmin International)
- 2021 - Mary Sherwood (Executive Vice President, A2 Advertising)
- 2020 - Sabrina Wiewel (Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer, Hallmark Cards, Inc.)
- 2019 - Tracy Kinsey (VP of Sales and Marketing, Bishop-McCann)
- 2018 - Joe Fowler (VP Sales & Marketing, Kansas Speedway)
- 2017 - Rick Bennet (Co-Chief Executive Officer, CCA Global)
- 2016 - Faruk Capan (CEO, Intouch Solutions, Inc.)
- 2015 - Keith Sullins (President, Houston Pizza Venture and Mongolian Dining Venture)
- 2014 - Rand Harbert (EVP and Chief Agency, Sales, & Marketing officer, State Farm)
- 2013 - Andy Fromm (President/CEO, Service Management Group)
- 2012 - Robb Heineman (CEO, Sporting Club and Co-Owner, Sporting Kansas City)
- 2011 - Jonathan Cleveland (Founder & Principal, Cleveland Design)
- 2010 - Mark Schupp (President, Schupp Company)
- 2009 - Christine Pierson (Vice President of US Sales, Animal Health Division, Bayer HealthCare LLC)
- 2008 - Stan Lippelman (VP of Marketing, Bass Pro Shops, Inc.)
- 2007 - John Salozzo (Director of Marketing, Craftsman Industries, Inc.)
- 2006 - Gail Worth (Owner and President, Gail's Harley-Davidson)
- 2005 - Robert Bernstein (President and CEO, Bernstein-Rein Advertising)
- 2004 - Roy Skoglund (Director of Marketing & Sales, Kansas Speedway)
- 2003 - Siobhan McLaughlin-Lesley (VP and Director of Client Services, Walz Tetrick Advertising)
- 2002 - Dennis Watley (Senior VP, Kansas City Chiefs)
- 2001 - Martin Zucker (VP of Sales, Corporate Express)
- 2000 - John Clark (President and CEO, United Foods, Inc.)
- 1999 - Robert Walsh (Director of Marketing, Novoste Corp.)
- 1998 - John Finamore (VP and GM, Station Casino)
- 1997 - Mike Levy (VP of Marketing and Communications, Kansas City Royals)
- 1996 - David Steward (President, World Wide Technology, Inc.)
