Honorees for the 2021 50 OVER 50 NE Awards have been announced by The Bloc. The American Advertising Federation Nebraska (AAF Nebraska) salutes all the winners for their contributions to communities across Nebraska. A complete list of the 50 OVER 50 award recipients for 2021 can be found at Nominees | 50 Over 50 NE. Paula Steenson, owner, and president of Paula Presents! will be honored on September 25, 2021, as one of the 50 OVER 50 NE award recipients. The awards celebration will be held in Omaha at the Downtown DoubleTree Hotel.
The Bloc is a Nebraska nonprofit organization with a mission to positively affect the lives of community members through education, charity and philanthropy, and community building. Since their founding in 2020 and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, their programs supplied more than one million meals including over 15,000 warm meals locally to seniors in need, more than 12,000 masks, and more than 1,500 hours of professional mental health care to the local community members.
The Bloc is currently building programs in three areas of focus including the 50 OVER 50 NE Awards and a Basic Human Rights Education program. The 50 OVER 50 NE Awards were born when The Bloc realized that there were no social outlets to honor and celebrate top achievers over a certain age in Nebraska.
Paula Steenson founded her advertising and event planning company Paula Presents! in the early 80s and currently works with her husband Tom and collaborates with a variety of other professionals in the PR, media and event planning world here in Omaha and throughout Nebraska. The company does everything from designing print collateral on a national level to planning and executing nonprofit and corporate events and conferences locally, regionally, and nationally. Paula still genuinely loves what she does and is glad she has the opportunity to keep learning and growing.
Paula serves on the AAF Nebraska board of directors and has been volunteering and sharing her leadership with the federation for more than 30 years. Steenson’s long history as a member and volunteer with the federation includes more than 10 years serving on the board of directors, serving as president in 1990 and 1991, then returning to leadership years later to continue her involvement on the board working with the American Advertising Awards | Nebraska and co-chairing the Membership committee. Paula was awarded the federation’s highest honor, the Silver Medal Award in 2017. This award is honored to members that have shown their commitment to the federation and their community in outstanding ways. The prestigious Silver Medal Award salutes the advertising industry’s leaders. Paula also shares her volunteer leadership with Downtown Omaha Inc. and the Downtown YMCA board.
Article submitted by:
Teri Hamburger
AAF Nebraska Executive Director
