Sixty-Five Years of Madison Marketing (And We’re Still Looking Pretty Good)

Sixty-five years. That is a lot of brainstorms, coffee refills, campaign launches, career pivots, and “wait, can you see my screen?” moments.

On April 21, AMA Madison gathered in the Atrium at Olbrich Gardens to mark 65 years of doing what this chapter does best: bringing local marketers together to connect, learn, and share ideas.

And yes, occasionally debate the important things, like the Oxford comma.

Since 1961, AMA Madison has been a home for Madison’s marketing community. Tuesday night was a reminder of why that still matters. No agenda. No presentations. Just good food and the kind of easy conversation that makes you stay longer than you planned.

Whether you have been part of this chapter for decades or you showed up because someone mentioned free networking at a botanical garden, same energy, and we are glad you came.

A Community Built by the People in the Room

Sixty-five years is not an accident. It is the result of a lot of people who decided this community was worth showing up for, year after year.

 

 

We were honored to have past presidents in the room on Tuesday, and grateful to recognize our current board members, who keep things running through the emails, the spreadsheets, the venue wrangling, and yes, the late night Slack messages. A special thank you to 2025-2026 chapter president Kristin McGuine, whose dedication and support this year have meant more than we can say.

We also welcomed students from the UW AMA collegiate chapter. You were in a room full of people who have been exactly where you are. We hope you introduced yourselves, asked questions, and took full advantage of it. That is exactly what this community is for.

The People Who Made It Happen

None of it works without volunteers. The people who set up, broke down, checked people in, and generally made the magic happen behind the scenes. It happened to fall during National Volunteer Week, which felt fitting. To every volunteer who gave their time: you are the secret ingredient.

And to our sponsors, who made the evening possible: thank you. Their investment in AMA Madison is the reason we can keep bringing this community together.

Here’s to Whatever Comes Next

Sixty-five years ago, a group of Madison marketers decided this community was worth building. Tuesday night was proof that they were right.

The connections made in that room, the ones that turn into collaborations, referrals, friendships, and the occasional coffee that runs two hours longer than intended, are what AMA Madison is all about.

We are already looking forward to what comes next! If you want to stay connected, keep an eye on our upcoming events or subscribe to our email list to get the latest on AMA Madison.

Cheers to the next 65 years of Madison marketing!

 

Thank you to our sponsors