Yellowstone Times

The American Marketing Association chapter at Montana State University is set to host its annual conference on February 27-28. This event, which is free and open to the public, will take place at the university's Strand Union Building and Jabs Hall.

Bennie F. Johnson, CEO of the national American Marketing Association, will deliver the keynote address on February 28 from 8:45 to 9:45 a.m. in the Procrastinator Theater. Brian Gillespie, dean of MSU’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship, will join him on stage to facilitate a student Q&A session. Gillespie emphasized the importance of such events, stating, “Events like this conference provide our students the opportunity to ask questions, learn from successful industry leaders and gain experiences that help them reach their own professional goals.”

Johnson leads a nationwide community with over 70 professional chapters and 350 college chapters. The AMA offers resources including training, certifications, and access to academic journals and job boards. Previously, Johnson served as executive director of the American Institute for Graphic Arts and hosted the “Design Adjacent” podcast.

Aleisha Dutton, president of the MSU AMA chapter, expressed enthusiasm about Johnson's participation: “Having Bennie Johnson as the keynote speaker at our conference is a huge honor.” She encouraged attendance from business and design students for what she described as "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

The conference will also feature Joshua Dorsey speaking on February 27 from 4 to 5 p.m., also in the Procrastinator Theater. Dorsey is known for his research in cannabis marketing history and has over 15 years of experience in marketing and sales.

Additional panels include sports marketing headlined by Chicago Bears defensive end Daniel Hardy on February 27 from 2 to 3 p.m., followed by an outdoor industry marketing panel featuring Tanner Sutton on February 28 at 2:45 p.m.

Students can engage in competitions covering marketing strategy, crisis communications, social media marketing, among others. Amber Kurth, vice president of programs for MSU’s AMA chapter highlighted these opportunities saying it is "an opportunity you can’t pass up."

More details about the conference are available at www.amamontanastate.org.