Firecrown’s Glenn Sandridge receives Inaugural Sally Helme Memorial Marketing Award
Glenn Sandridge, Firecrown’s marine group president, received the inaugural Sally Helme Memorial Marketing Award at last week’s Neptune Awards at the Miami International Boat Show.
The Neptune Awards, hosted by Marine Marketers of America (MMA), recognizes the top work of marine marketers and their respective companies in several performance categories. This year’s event drew over 300 people, and 22 awards were presented to the industry’s best.
Of those awarded, a handful of individuals were presented with Neptune Awards for marketing excellence.
Glenn Sandridge received a particularly prestigious honor as the first recipient of the Sally Helme Memorial Marketing Award.
18 years ago, Sally Helme was recruited as MMA’s first vice president to establish its awards program. Sally was an accomplished industry veteran and the esteemed group publisher of Cruising World and Sailing World magazines for over two decades.
Former MMA President Wanda Kenton Smith reflected on her experiences working with Sally in the early days of the organization.
“Sally took the helm in her typical fashion and led the way, contributing countless hours along with the help of a few early board members to design, develop and launch what ultimately became the Neptune Awards,” she said during her speech Wednesday night. “Her tireless contributions continued for several years as she served as the Neptune’s chief judge, helping to continually nurture and finesse the foundation of what has become a very successful program … .”
On March 20, 2024, Sally fell ill and passed away at the age of 70.
The Sally Helme Memorial Marketing Leadership Award was created in honor to recognize deserving trailblazers who embody the same passion and commitment that Sally brought to her many leadership roles held throughout her career.
“This legacy award will continue to celebrate the life, inspiration and achievement of one of the most outstanding marketers and leaders who ever impacted our industry, and recognize those champions who follow in her footsteps,” Kenton Smith told Firecrown.
Sandridge said he was shocked to receive the award.
“I was honored to receive an award from my peers from the Marine Marketers of America, but I was beyond humbled to receive an award named after and in honor of Sally,” he told Firecrown. “As Scott Salyers so aptly described her, Sally was a gift.”
Sandridge said Sally was the first person he would call to ask for advice, and she took care of everyone in the industry personally and professionally.
“The impact she had on our industry and the people in it cannot be put into words,” he said. “Wanda Kenton Smith is a giant in the industry too and Sally loved her, so having her describe Sally then announce me as the recipient made it even more special.”
Sally’s brother, Skip Helme, and his wife Nancy were also present to give Sandridge the award on stage. Sandridge said that made the whole experience “surreal and beyond any honor I could ever even imagine.”
Firecrown is a media group made up of 50 publications across several affluent enthusiast industries primarily in the marine, aviation, railroad, space and supply chain sectors. Firecrown’s marine brands also brought home over 50 awards at the annual breakfast meeting of Boating Writers International in Miami on Wednesday
Explore Our Award-Winning Marine Brands
Explore Our Award-Winning Marine Brands