Every year, the Advertising Club of Edmonton presents a Fellowship Award to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the advertising industry and the community in general. It’s an honour reserved for members of Edmonton’s advertising community who have inspired or shared their knowledge and talents with those in their industry and in the community at large.
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Rob Jennings – Fellowship Award Recipient for the 46th Annual ACE Awards, celebrated on March 29, 2025.
Since beginning his career, Rob has always dedicated himself to being both a student of, andleader in, the marketing community. In 2008, Rob founded Starburst Creative, a marketingcommunications agency that has grown to become the FKA of today—an agency of 38 people,producing award-winning work for both national and local clients and buying millions of dollarsworth of media on their behalf. Through that growth, Rob has held true to a number of principlesthat have made our community a better place.
First, Rob has always placed an incredible importance on growing the next generation ofmarketing leaders. He spent a dozen years as a member of the NAIT Marketing ProgramAdvisory Committee which advises the school on its marketing curriculum and served on theAdvisory Industry Panel for NAIT’s Promotional Campaign Planning class which offers youngmarketers the chance to learn and grow directly from industry professionals. In addition to thissweat equity, Rob created two scholarships to support young creative and research students atNAIT.
Rob also deeply believes in ‘walking the talk’ when it comes to the advertising industry, andrecognized that the industry wasn’t doing enough to include more diverse voices andperspectives in its work. So he took action. Rob created the FKA Indigenous Award in Businessat the University of Alberta and partnered with pipikwan pêhtâkwan to launch aIndigenous-focused design bursary at MacEwan University. He also led FKA in reshaping itshiring and vendor selection practices, and because of Rob’s efforts people who never sawthemselves in advertising are finding a home in our community.
And lastly, Rob continues to be an intensely curious marketing leader who embraces changeand is never afraid to meet every challenge with an entrepreneurial spirit. FKA’s exponentialgrowth is due in no small part to Rob’s very early adoption of digital marketing, back when mostother agencies were still calling it a fad.Rob is incredibly deserving of this Fellowship Award because its vision so closely aligns with hisown: if you do things right, do them with good taste and treat people fairly, you’ll succeed.
Past Recipients
2023 – Teresa Sturgess2022 – Carolyn Patton2021 – Catrin Owen
2020 – Howard Poon2019 – Sonia Piano2018 – Jeff McLean2017 – Missy Geffen2016 – Helene Leggatt2015 – Bev Holoboff2014 – Ryan Kelly2013 – Joyce Byrne2012 – Kathy Watts2011 – Hans Dys
2010 – Craig Roskin2009 – Gord Deeks2008 – Shelley Britton2007 – Anita McGillis2006 – Randy Cronin2005 – Maureen McCaw2004 – Alan Mabee2003 – Ruth Kelly2002 – Margaret Kool2001 – Frank Calder
2000 – Donna James1999 – Michael Hamm1998 – Val Jenkins1997 – Kathy Shapka1996 – Al Anderson1995 – Lesley Howard-Stafford1994 – Warren Holte1993 – Darryl Hooke1992 – Heather Grue1991 – Bud Hoffman
1990 – Don Smith1989 – Bob Deakin1988 – Marianne Takach1987 – Derek Coke-Kerr1986 – Jim Ford1985 – Lew Roskin1984 – Wally West1983 – Gordon Lloyd1982 – Scottie Schultz1981 – Dr. G.R.A. Rice1980 – Doris Urch1979 – Maxine Kerr
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