HUNGRY MAN of New York, famous for its creative directors and take on comedy commercials, has won the Commitment to Excellence Award for TV commercials from the 2010 Hugo Television Awards, announced Jesse Berkowitz, competitions coordinator at a party Thursday night.

Hungry Man’s managing partner/executive producer Kevin Byrne will accept the Gold Hugo on behalf of his company at the April 15 awards ceremony at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Famous for comedy commercials, Hungry Man’s work is always a dominant force on the Super Bowl. Chicago agency clients Bud Light, Miller Beer, McDonald’s and Ace hardware are on a roster that includes Microsoft, Sprint, H&R Block, eTrade, Stella Artois, Audi, Hulu and hundreds more.

ICONIC DIRECTOR JOE SEDELMEIER, who gave ture meaning to “comedy commercials,” will be a judge at the New York Festivals International Advertising Awards. Shanghai is the awards ceremony city, June 10-12. BTW: The Festivals’ owner is Jimmy Smyth, Optimus’ original founder/owner.

THAT WAS SOME OPEN HOUSE last Saturday when Columbia College hosted 8,000 prospective students and their families from 44 states. Visitors took a tour of many of the school's 22 buildings in the South Loop campus, had a chance to get up front and personal with current students and faculty, enjoyed a casual lunch and checked out student dorms choices.

POSTCARDS FROM THE COAST: Former Chicago editor Bob Mori (Skyview, Optimus) is one of five editors on the staff of the new West Coast offices of jumP, the 10-year old New York-headquartered spot post house. One of his recent projects was editing an LG “Avatar” spot directed by Backyard’s Rob Pritts.

Actor/executive producer Nicholas Celozzi will begin production on the feature doc, “Momo: The Sam Giancana Story.” He co-wrote the story about the boss of the Chicago Outfit and his alleged connections to the Kennedy Administration in the ‘50s and ‘60s.

Celozzi acquired the rights from his cousin, Francine Giancana, Sam’s daughter. Production starts this month in Las Vegas.

PRODUCER/MEDIA CONSULTANT Alison Sneed joined AKA Media multimedia counseling and production services, from executive producer at Edelman Productions, bringing with her more than a decade of broadcast reporting and corporate production experience. Sneed will develop and execute video, radio, web, TV and social media programs for AKA clients.

QUESTAR ENTERTAINMENT promoted Kevin Silverman to VP/digital distribution and programming, from VP/acquisitions and development. He will be responsible for using digital platforms to connect audiences with Questar’s 3,500-plus travel, nature and inspirational titles. The company celebrates its 25th anniversary this year.

REEL MICHIGAN: Locations for a big screen version of the “The Big Valley” the mid-‘60s ABC western TV series will be Michigan and New Mexico. Susan Sarandon plays the fierce-willed matriarch of a large California ranch in the 1870s. The movie will shoot this summer.

*The Detroit International Film Festival debuted this past weekend, with dozens of features, docs and shorts by Michigan filmmakers, plus a few new works from some legendary cult directors. From the reception it received, it looks like DISS will be a Detroit staple.

PRODUCER/DIRECTOR JIM WHITE is on a roll with his screenplays. Last year, his script, “Butterbean: The Bob Love Story,” was first runner-up at the Beverly Hills Film Festival.

This year, so far, his screenplay, “Dinky Dau” (a Viet phrase coined by U.S. soldiers to mean “you’re a crazy SOB”), about a Vietnam war veteran’s ghostly visits of his Army buddies, is a finalist at Beverly Hills AND the Charleston International Film Festival.

ANOTHER COUNTRY hired new associate producer Cathi Fremer, a Pittsburgh native who most recently worked as a producer for Honolulu ad agency, Milici Valenti.

THE AICE ENLARGED ITS RULES to allow design, motion graphics and visual effects companies and artists who work for them to join heretofore the exclusively postproduction trade organization, as these companies now comprise a major part of today’s post services.

*Mark your calendars for the May 20 AICE 2010 Awards Show that will bring members from chapters in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, L.A. Minneapolis, San Francisco and Toronto to Chicago. —Ruth L Ratny

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