HOUSTON, Texas — The University of Houston Department of Intercollegiate Athletics Marketing, Promotions and Sales office were named the American Marketing Association of Houston’s 2010 Marketer of the Year at a banquet, Monday evening at the Alley Theatre.

The office, which is run by AssistantAthletic Director Rob Stewart, was named the Best of Category winner for the amateur sports/entertainment division for the second-straight year and thentook home the overall Marketer of the Year honor after beating out 41 othercategory winners. UH beat out such strong and reputable companies as Continental Airlines, the Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Halliburton, MD Anderson Cancer Center and the Houston Rockets.

“This in an incredible honor that speaks to the progress we have made as an athletic department,” said Director of Athletics Mack Rhoades. “It was a major emphasis of this past year to increase the number of people wehave viewing Cougar sporting events and creating that affinity with our fanbase. Rob’s (Stewart) staff, the rest of our external relations group and many terrific volunteers made great inroads in those efforts. It is very nice to have an organization like the AMA recognize those achievements.”

The award lauded the efforts of UH Athletics in its nation-leading football season ticket increase of 82 percent from 6,300 in 2009 to11,500 in 2010. During the 2010 season, the Cougars sold out five of its six home games, for the first time in school history. It also honored the efforts of the first-ever Seat ’Em Up Drive, which utilized loyal UH ticket holders and donors to create new Cougar fans to the tune of 2,200 tickets.

The Marketing, Promotions and Sales office consists of assistant directors Greg Brungardt and Tory Tekyl, former assistant director Brice Wiley and intern Tamara Sherrod.

About AMA Houston: The Houston Chapter of the American Marketing Association has been serving marketing professionals for over 50 years, organized as the Houston Business Forum in 1949 and affiliated with the AMA effective July 1, 1954.

AMA Houston is the area’s premier professional marketing organization and currently the nation’s largest chapter. AMA Houston provides marketers the ability to remain competitive in today’s business environment through networking events, special interest groups and real-world educational programs. Named Chapter of the Year in 2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2007-2008, 2008-2009 and 2009-2010, AMA Houston serves more than1,000 members with diverse marketing expertise from a variety of industries.