The Diamond Award: An Orig-gem Story

Written by

Andy Tzortzinis, Member Ambassador, Cybersecurity Marketing Society

Published on

June 11, 2026

3:29 am

In the summer of 2020, I was drowning in the ambivalence of pandemic lockdowns and brand new to marketing in the cybersecurity industry. I didn’t come into cyber from SaaS or IT or some other technical sector and I found myself the marketing director for a very small channel-only MSSP. I was in serious need of help and support. I started looking for a professional community or group where I could learn about the cybersecurity industry beyond what my team at work could teach me in hopes that I would be able to ramp up more quickly.

It was in this context that I was lucky enough to stumble on the very new (and very small) Cybersecurity Marketing Society. As soon as I joined the Society Slack group, I immediately felt I had found "my people". However, it also highlighted the enormous gaps in my cybersecurity industry knowledge.

Since I had already been in the marketing profession for several years at this point, I decided right away that, while I couldn't offer much on the discipline of cybersecurity marketing itself, I was able to get involved using my experience in marketing to people in general. It was in taking this action to get more involved in the Cybersecurity Marketing Society that the Diamond Award started taking shape.

The Diamond Award

Almost six years later, I am happy to say that my effort to be an active, engaged member of the Society paid off. Thanks to this involvement in the Society, I have learned A TON, landed several cybersecurity marketing roles (each a step up from the previous) and made loads of great friends. I went from being a new, wet-behind-the-ears member and cybersecurity “noob” to long-time member to Society member ambassador, Slack admin and meeting host. I can honestly say that my participation in the Cybersecurity Marketing Society had a lot to do with my quick success in this challenging industry.

In 2022, I was deeply humbled (truly!) to receive the inaugural Diamond Award at the first in-person CyberMarketingCon in Arlington, Virginia! It was a special award that the Society founders gave me for my involvement in the organic growth of the community, and it meant a lot to be singled out in that way. Since then, we have celebrated a different Diamond Award winner every year.

What is the Diamond Award?

So, you might be feeling like I left something out of the story. Are you thinking to yourself, “What is the Diamond Award even for?”

Great question!

Well, back in 2020, there were two things I especially appreciated about the Cybersecurity Marketing Society Slack community and its members (there were more than two, but these two matter the most for this):

The first was that I was gaining valuable insights about cybersecurity marketing from seasoned cyber marketers that had already been in the game long before I got here. They were so free with their knowledge, so open to follow-up questions, and so available to answer even the most basic of questions.
The second thing I appreciated was everyone's sense of humor. There is nothing better to build camaraderie (in my mind, at least) than a shared joke or a snarky cyber-marketing-only meme. I was getting my fix of both EVERY DAY!

In the absence of working in an office, this was a godsend. It wasn't just a place to share professional tips, it was a social outlet...something I desperately needed. This wasn’t your mamma’s LinkedIn group. This was a REAL community.

However, during the day-to-day happenings in Slack, I quickly grew tired of using all the typical reaction emojis. The "thumbs up" emoji for something cool, or the "rolling laugh" emoji for something funny, or the "lightbulb" emoji for insightful comments just seemed so…bland. Being the brand guy that I am, I wanted to do something different and stand out from the crowd. Something that would give what I thought to be exemplary posts and comments the credit they deserved.

I started giving "diamonds" (the "gem" emoji) for what I thought were the best of the best posts, comments and jokes. I reserved the diamond for the most helpful tips, the funniest cracks, the most laser precise observations and the deepest insights.

Early on, I often included a comment with my diamond. It was usually something in all caps like, "THAT ONE GETS A DIAMOND" along with an extra diamond (or two, or three) in the comment. To my surprise, "getting a diamond" became a symbol of arrival and, by extension, a deeper connection to the group. I like to think it made people feel included, validated and seen, which makes me really happy.

Now, you might think that it was hard to find diamond-worthy content. Well, I am here to tell you right now: I was giving out quite a few diamonds because the caliber of the members was so high (and constantly growing) and their participation proved it. Soon, other members were giving out diamonds as a mark of a high value post, comment, joke or meme. Not long after that, diamonds became widely used as that special appreciation emoji for something “THAT” good. It was in this context that the Diamond Award was created.

What does a Diamond Award Really Mean?

To me, the Diamond Award exemplifies someone who's a giver of themselves and they bring that into everything they do, especially their involvement in the Society. They share their knowledge. They admit their gaps. They are authentic and well-intentioned. They bring insight with a fresh perspective and a sense of humor. They are an open book, not a locked vault of so-called “trade secrets”. They get the concept of community and they understand that you don't just get what you give, you give what you get!

Each person (not speaking for myself) that has received this award brings all of this, and more, to their Society interactions.

Who Will Win the Next Diamond Award?

Every year before CyberMarketingCon, I chat with the founders, Gianna and Maria, to pick a Diamond Award winner. This year, we will probably include the Society's new Head of Community, Jen VanAntwerp (the 2024 Diamond Award Winner) in the decision, as well. We will choose the winner and present them with the honor during the Con’s Marquee Awards ceremony.

This award is highly subjective, cannot be applied to or submitted for and the recipient is picked based on a year's worth of observations. We look at the most engaged members; the ones that really help make the Cybersecurity Marketing Society what it is today: a thriving, fun, educational, and highly engaged community of cyber marketing professionals.

It is a special honor delivered with a smile and a wink. Sure, it’s not the most serious award on the list, but certainly one of the most meaningful.

So far, the Diamond Award recipients have been:

2022: Andy Tzortzinis