Awards
In 2023, Advocacy & Communication Solutions, LLC won a Stevie® International Business Award:
For the sixth year in a row, Advocacy & Communication Solutions, LLC (ACS) was selected out of more than 3,700 nominations to receive a Stevie® Award, earning a Bronze in the Company of the Year in Small Business or Professional Services in The 20th Annual International Business Awards®.
The International Business Awards are the world’s premier business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small – are eligible to submit nominations. The 2023 IBAs received entries from organizations in 61 nations and territories.
The judges noted that, “ACS is a leader in transformational services for consultancy and advocacy. They have a fantastic track record demonstrating their social impact and long-term milestones. Their work is needed and appreciated for early education and their dedication to a prosperous future. ACS investment in time and services result in resiliency in communities.”
ACS previously won the Bronze Company of the Year Stevie® Women in Business Award in 2018, 2019, and 2020 and the Silver Stevie® Award in the Company of the Year in Small Business or Professional Services in 2021 and 2022.
In 2026, ACS won five Hermes Creative Awards:
Advocacy & Communication Solutions, LLC earned five recognitions for its communication strategy from the Hermes Creative Awards, one of the oldest and largest creative competitions in the world. Winners range in size from small creative firms to Fortune 500 companies.
- For its work with YWCA USA creating a rapid response framework in the wake of 2025 federal policy changes, ACS was named a Platinum Winner.
- ACS was named a Gold Winner for shaping a comprehensive communication plan for the Lead Safe Cleveland Coalition.
- ACS earned three Honorable Mentions, for its Crisis Communication Strategy Worksheet, 2024 “Don’t Just Stand There: Do Something” civic engagement email newsletter, and promotional catalog summarizing a set of client offerings.
ACS has been the recipient of various awards and accolades recognizing their work as a firm with a history of growth and national expertise, for client projects around the country and their first publication, Influence on All Cylinders.
- Hermes Award for strategic outreach and engagement for Franklin County Ohio’s Quality Rating System outreach strategy.
- The Corporate College Smart 50 Awards, presented by Smart Business magazine, recognizes the top executives of the smartest companies in Northeast Ohio for their ability to effectively build and lead savvy organizations. In 2019, Lori McClung, ACS CEO, and Scarlett Bouder, ACS president, were named Smart 50 winners.
- Crain’s Business Women of Note awarded to ACS Chief Executive Officer Lori McClung for her contributions and commitment to her work throughout her 25-year career in 2019.
- The Stevie® International Business Awards awarded ACS with the national bronze medal for Company of the Year in 2020 and 2019. The International Business Awards are the world’s premier business awards program.
- PR Daily’s 2019 Content Marketing Awards gave ACS an honorable mentioned in Content Marketing for the Purpose of Brand Awareness for our work with Franklin County Board of Commissioners—Department of Job and Family Services. Review the case study “Encouraging Preschool Providers to Improve Quality”.
- Stevie Award for Women in Business for Small Business Company of the Year in 2018.
- Weatherhead 100 winner for small business growth in 2015.
- MarCom Platinum Award presented by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals for a two-year strategic communication plan for PRE4CLE, Cleveland’s plan to expand high-quality pre-K to all children in the city.
