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Officials at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) announced Amanda Davis as the recipient of this year’s Outstanding Young Alumna. The award recognizes alumni under the age of 40 who have distinguished themselves in their profession and community. Davis will be formally honored during the Alumni Awards luncheon on Saturday, Sept. 24, at noon in the Calcagno Family Ballroom. All alumni and friends of the college are invited to attend. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 12 and under, and may be purchased by contacting the NEO Development Foundation office at 918-540-6115. NEO’s “Greatest Homecoming on Earth” festivities will take place on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2016.

Davis graduated from Picher-Cardin High School in 1995 and received her Associate Degree in Business Administration from NEO in 1997. She then attended Pittsburg State University, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Marketing. She is now the executive director of the Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau and director of tourism for the City of Miami. She and her husband Chad, NEO’s director of football operations and student activity center coordinator, live in Miami with their son Seth and their daughter Sayler.

Since beginning work with the Miami Convention and Visitor Bureau (CVB) in 2006, Davis has earned several honors and served on various committees. Under her direction, the Miami CVB won the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association Red Bud Awards for Outstanding Tourism Director, Outstanding Tourism for Best Social Media Campaign, and Outstanding Leadership. In 2008, she earned a spot on the “Joplin Business Journal Top 40 under 40” list and has served on the Oklahoma Travel Industry Association board of directors since 2007. She has also served as co-director of the Miami OK 125th Anniversary Celebration Committee and the Rodeo Miami Organizing Committee, which has been named the ACRA Rodeo of the Year for six consecutive years.

Davis is also the co-director and executive board member of the Oklahoma 8-Man Football All-Star Game and she was inducted into the Oklahoma 8-Man Football Hall of Fame in 2012. She is the only woman to ever receive the honor. During her tenure as the director of tourism, Davis has worked closely with NEO administrators with numerous events such as Rodeo Miami, the NEO High School Basketball Tournament, and Oklahoma Freewheel. During many of these events, she works to secure promotional lodging rates for students and families.

When not working, Davis enjoys mentoring NEO athletes, family time, and participating in community activities. She is a proud Miami Wardog booster, a volunteer for the Rockdale Elementary and Nichols Upper Elementary PTO, and a volunteer for the Miami Youth Basketball League. “It is an honor to recognize Amanda Davis as NEO’s 2016 Outstanding Young Alumna,” says Jennifer Hessee, executive director of the NEO Development Foundation. “In her short career, she has built a name for herself in the tourism industry and made Miami and northeast Oklahoma a tourism destination. She’s devoted to her family, faith, and alma mater and has worked tirelessly to make a difference in our community.”