History
No records remain from the first advertising club in Muncie but according to The Muncie Morning Star, 40 local business men and women chartered the Muncie Ad Club on October 12, 1915.
C. L. Retherford was the first president. The club functioned for 20 years or more and was known as a “live wire” organization. The club’s first newsletter,
“Who’s Who In Ad Club” was published on June 3, 1921. This first club disbanded prior to World War II.
The Muncie Advertising Club was re-established by nine members at a charter meeting on April 6, 1964. Under president, Gary South, MAC joined the American Advertising Federation in 1976.
On January 5, 1996, membership was extended to surrounding counties and the name was changed to the
Advertising Federation of East Central Indiana (AdFed of E. C. I.) The federation was incorporated as a 501 (c.) 6 organization in August 2001. The first part-time Executive Director was contracted on July 1, 2001.
To become more aligned with the American Advertising Federation the membership voted on August 7, 2021 to change its By Laws and to incorporate as the
American Advertising Federation East Central Indiana.
