Anne-Marie Colant is Named 2026 Penny Award Recipient
Honored for her outstanding contribution to the advertising field
AAF-Akron is proud to announce that Anne-Marie Colant, Director of Enterprise Social Media at Great Day Improvements, is the 2026 recipient of its Penny Award.
Anne-Marie has spent the past 10 years building a career in marketing, with a focus on social media, digital marketing, and brand building. A public relations graduate of Kent State University, she discovered her passion for marketing through a digital marketing course and a series of internships at the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission, the American Junior Golf Association, and Crain’s Cleveland that introduced her to the creative possibilities of the industry.
Today, Anne-Marie serves as Director of Enterprise Social Media at Great Day Improvements, where she leads social strategy across a portfolio of national home improvement brands. Throughout her career, she has been drawn to opportunities to build, create, and solve problems, from pioneering an influencer program at Universal Windows Direct to rethinking the paid social strategy for Patio Enclosures. She brings a practical, can-do approach to her work and enjoys finding creative ways to help brands connect with their audiences.
Giving back has become an important part of Anne-Marie’s career as well. She serves on the Associate Board of the Northern Ohio Chapter of A Kid Again and is the Sisterhood Advisor for Phi Mu at Kent State University, where she enjoys mentoring and inspiring the next generation of women.
Outside of work, Anne-Marie is a wife to Frank Lemut and mom to vibrant two-year-old Connor. She is a lifelong learner who enjoys reading, podcasts, and finding new things to explore, with plenty of time reserved for Bluey and a good reality TV show.
An AAF-Akron special committee chose Anne-Marie during a closed session vote in early September. She will be honored at the AAF-Akron Annual Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 5:30pm at The Knight Stage in downtown Akron. For more information and to make reservations, visit aafakron.com.
About the Penny Award
AAF-Akron’s Penny Award recognizes young professionals, under 40 in the Greater Akron area, who have made outstanding contributions to advertising as well as have been active in furthering the industry’s standards, creative excellence and responsibility in areas of social concern. The award pays homage to AAF-Akron’s first president and charter member, James Penfield (Penny) Seiberling. Learn more and see past recipients of the Penny Award.
