The Richmond Ad Club honored Roger Neathawk and Susan Dubuque on April 1 as the Mike Hughes Ad Persons of the Year, named for the longtime president of The Martin Agency who died in 2013. The club promotes the advertising community and offers networking events and other resources, reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The report, in part, added:

“The Hughes Award is selected by the Ad Club. Other awards presented at the event, held at the Residences at the John Marshall, were selected by a panel of professionals from the advertising community.

““Their contributions to the advertising industry and our community are so important,” Richmond Ad Club President Christina Dick said in a prepared statement. “Roger and Susan have dedicated their lives and the resources of their firm to improving the lives and well-being of others, especially those in the nonprofit sector.”

““I can’t think of any higher recognition than recognition from your peers,” Neathawk said.

““I’m very touched. I feel like it’s the capstone on my career,” said the former hospital executive who left that career in 1984 to start the advertising agency with Dubuque.

“He was a hospital CEO and she was in the marketing department when they combined their talents to start an advertising firm and sought out clients, including hospitals that were just beginning to embrace marketing to tout their services.

““Even though the honor is for us, it’s an honor for the agency and all the people who work here,” Neathawk said. “It’s for our clients, even for our vendors who have been so good to us. You don’t stay in business for 32 years and get an award like this by yourself.”

“In recognizing the firm, the Richmond Ad Club noted the firm’s pro bono work last year for the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts’ popular Japanese tattoo art exhibit.

“Neathawk stepped down as CEO and from day-to-day management of the firm in 2014, and became non-executive chairman of an expanded board of directors.

“More recently, the company rebranded itself from Neathawk, Dubuque & Packett to ndp, with a logo that includes a circular doodle that resembles an airy ball of string.

““It’s also an easier name to say and remember,” Neathawk said of the new moniker.

““And easier to spell,” added Dubuque, who has gotten used to creative misspellings of her last name.

“The logo, she explained, is a nod to the creative process: “Not thinking in a straight, linear line, exploring all options,” she said.

“Other Richmond Ad Club award winners announced Friday included best-in-show awards.

• The Martin Agency won in the interactive show category for its “Preloader” project for client Tic Tac and in the advertising show category for its “Spy” project for client Geico.
• Shane Brennan, Brit Kern and Annalie Robinson won in the student category for their project “An Institution for Music” for client Spotify.
• The Hue and Cry agency won in the production category for its “Power of a Box” campaign for client Care.
• Work Labs won in the design category for its packaging for client Truth Fishing Reels.
• Sarah Kilmon won the Barbara Fultz Women in Advertising Scholarship, and Katie Cullinan was awarded the Harry Jacobs Scholarship.”

(Photo by Richmond Times-Dispatch)