John Rodman, director of museum experience for the Preservation Society of Newport County, R.I., was honored as the Nonprofit Marketer of the Year for 2013 by the American Marketing Association and the American Marketing Association Foundation (AMA/AMAF).

Rodman joined the Preservation Society in 1999 as director of marketing and communications. As the director of museum experience, he oversees visitor services, marketing and public relations activities. Under his tenure the Newport Mansions became one of the four most visited museums in New England.

The award was presented during the AMA’s Nonprofit Marketing Conference in Arlington, Va. The NonProfit Times was a sponsor. The award recognizes extraordinary leadership and achievement in the field of nonprofit marketing. The winner was chosen from among 24 nominations.

The Preservation Society finished calendar year 2012 with its best attendance in a decade as admissions to the Newport Mansions grew by 86,000 to 883,000. This one-year increase of 11 percent, the strongest on record, followed the investment of more than $1 million in four new tours during the past four years.

Prior to working in the nonprofit sector, Rodman worked in journalism and government. He held news management positions at Standard News in Washington, D.C., WCDJ-FM and WEEI Newsradio (CBS); was a correspondent for NBC and CBS Radio, and served as a lecturer at Northeastern University.

“Building a world-class brand for a major museum starts with having a world-class organization to promote,” Rodman said.  “To then be recognized for marketing success as a museum in the company of all manner of nonprofit organizations really underlines the phenomenal quality of the entire team with which I work at The Preservation Society of Newport County.”

Preservation Society CEO and Executive Director Trudy Coxe said, “This award recognizes John Rodman’s innovation and success in creating new visitor experiences, and leading our communications and customer service team. That in turn is a reflection of the entire organization’s commitment to excellence and innovation.”