Dirk Van Slyke has been selected to be the 2014 recipient of the Invisible Disabilities Association Founders Honors Award. Dirk has been chosen based upon his personal involvement with IDA’s founder as a strategic advisor and for providing business and marketing expertise for IDA’s executive board.

Dirk has been a marketing and branding practitioner for 25 years, specializing in growing businesses in a variety of industries, including fashion, financial services, retail, research, travel, technology and healthcare.

Based in Houston, Texas, Dirk recently served as the Chief Marketing Officer for a private medical device manufacturer, doing business in the United States, Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom. American Medical ID’s core business is medical ID jewelry, which is a simple, affordable and effective tool for anyone living with chronic conditions, allergies or taking dangerous medications like blood thinners – really, any information that would need to be communicated in an emergency.

Dirk graduated with honors from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Science in Communications and Advertising. He is a frequent speaker and mentor for a variety of university level marketing and advertising curricula, as well as for the American Marketing Association. He serves or has served on a variety of boards for non-profits, including the Mental Health Association, the American Diabetes Association and the Humane Society.

A dedicated husband and father of two, Dirk enjoys spending time with his family snow skiing, biking, playing golf, reading or enjoying a good movie.

2014 Founders Award Presentation