Cameron Toth and Social Education: Networking: 5 Lessons from MPI's World Education Congress 2011 #WEC11

Cameron Toth and Social Education: Networking: 5 Lessons from MPI's World Education Congress 2011 #WEC11

We've Moved!

As of May 5, 2011 the PCMA Events Blog has moved. It is now combined with the membership blog, and can be found at: http://blogs.pcma.org/

See you there!

Top 10 Reasons for Being a Member of PCMA

Posted by:
Christine Melendes, CAE
Director, Member Relations, PCMA







PCMA Members at Convening Leaders
Photo Credit: Jacob Slaton Photography

I talk to a lot of people about what PCMA is and why they should join. Many times people aren’t sure they can commit either the financial or personal resources to make membership make sense for them. But I argue that in this day and age when connections are king and information drives performance and business results – there has never been a better time to be connected to the meeting industry best and brightest.

Below is a list that I compiled with the help of the PCMA membership committee last year and I think it’s still relevant today.

1. PCMA Convene magazine offers readers the opportunity to gain CEU credit hours toward their CMP designation by reading featured articles and taking a short online test on the content.
2. It is more important than ever to invest in your career – PCMA provides the right education, the right networking and the right tools.
3. PCMA promotes the value of meetings to our industry, expanding the reach of our industry and its impact on the economy.
4. Research that keeps you on the cutting edge of industry issues and trends, providing essential information that allows you to face challenges head on and recognize new opportunities.
5. PCMA delivers superior and innovative education and promotes the value of professional convention management.
6. Our members are savvy - Leaders from all levels of our industry, focused on continuing education and self-improvement that generates an influential membership committed to advancing our profession and industry.
7. Our members conduct business in a professional, fair and trustworthy fashion and in a socially responsible and environmentally sustainable manner.
8. We embrace an enthusiastic spirit of collaboration, commitment and respect that drives our members.
9. We create lifelong connections in a positive environment. Planners and partners learn and connect on a peer to peer level.
10. PCMA is the leading organization for meetings and event professionals.

What is your top reason for being a member of PCMA? Join the conversation by posting a comment!

I hope you consider joining PCMA, and if you are currently a member, that you continue your membership. It is you, the member that makes this organization a place where leaders gather!

Ottawa – Where Friendship and Business Come Together

Posted by:

Christine Melendes, CAE

Director, Member Relations, PCMA

In my opinion there are two ways to build truly successful business relationships.

1. You start with a business need and then develop a friendship with your partners. 
2. You start as friends, build a strong relationship first and then get down to business.

It is the later that I am fortunate to have experienced with my good friends and business colleagues in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.  

It was the friendships that I have built with key members of the Ottawa Convention Centre team that caused me to have so much pride last week when I joined them to help celebrate the opening of the new Ottawa Convention Centre.  I was among a fine, distinguished group (1,300 of us) of people including Canadian dignitaries, the mayor, and many influential business people who all worked tirelessly to make the new Ottawa Convention Centre a reality.

Photo courtesy of Mathew Usherwood

I was fortunate to experience the great city of Ottawa the day before and the day leading up to the opening gala.  It is a very “easy” city to make your way through…not only is the city center compact and walkable, the people of Ottawa are warm, welcoming and beyond friendly.  Through walking the streets you connect with a city rich in history, but modern in everything the city offers…contemporary dining, nightlife and shopping.  

This is a city that has waited more than 20 years for a convention centre that would be a masterpiece, a crowning jewel, in a city that has for centuries been the hub of policy making, business building and community.  

It is that history, that sense of true pride in what was accomplished, that allowed me to sit back and enjoy watching my friends receive pats on the back, toasts, and hugs for a job well done.

Photo courtesy of the Ottawa Convention Centre

If you haven’t been to Ottawa, I suggest you put it on your “must visit” list for both business and leisure.  This is a city that gets business, gets conventions, and gets how both impact the local economy.  But most of all, this is a city with a beautiful new, modern convention centre where the team understands your business and is ready to help you succeed.  And I promise you, you will enjoy every minute you spend there!

PCMA Donation Drive – WOW Results!

Posted by:
Christine Melendes, CAE
Director, Member Relations, PCMA



WOW! That is simply the only word I can say when I think of the results of the 2011 Convening Leaders Donation Drive. What started off as a HUGE goal of collecting 10,000 cards (a goal I thought we would struggle to reach) – we ended up donating almost 16,000 cards!

WOW! What support we had from the meeting planning community for this drive…our most successful one to date. Throughout the event people just kept coming and coming with cards to donate. When I checked on the “counting” we had over 10 boxes of cards counted and bundled by Tuesday afternoon. By the close of the meeting we had 12 boxes of cards ready to ship off to St. Jude’s.

WOW! What an amazing collection of cards – from holiday cards to note cards – there was enough variety that the charity will not know what to do with it!

WOW! How easy was this? Well, if you’ve never had a charitable component to your meeting before, you could simply add this and with little effort you could have a lasting and meaningful impact on a charity in your host city.

It was so easy to pull off with these simple steps: 1) Pick a charity where your attendees can easily pack or purchase a donation; 2) promote, promote, promote; 3) Make it easy to find the donation bin and make sure you have volunteers gather and record the donations; 4) Work with the local charity to pick up the donation.

This year’s donation drive benefited St. Jude’s Ranch for Children. St. Jude’s Ranch for Children serves all abused, abandoned and neglected children and families, creating new chances, new choices and new hope in a safe, homelike environment.

About PCMA’s Network For the Needy (NFTN) Initiatives

Founded in 1990, NFTN started a simple initiative to donate leftover food from conventions. NFTN has now grown into an organization-wide educational program for industry professionals to become educated in how to give back to their communities through meetings. Sponsored by a generous grant from Global Experience Specialists, NFTN is available throughout the United States and Canada at no cost and involves a wide range of programs and activities.

Why use the Network for the Needy to plan convention volunteerism?

Why not? The benefits are limitless, but here are just a few of the reasons why you should:

• Create goodwill - give your attendees the opportunity to help others in need and demonstrate that your organization cares about the community.
• Foster teamwork among your attendees by working together on a project for those in need.
• Develop positive community relations by publicizing your volunteer efforts to your members and customers.
• Help to demonstrate the value of the meetings and trade show industry to the community at large.

Learn more about PCMA’s NFTN initiatives.

Looking Back: My Reflections on Convening Leaders

Posted by:
Alisha Ernst
Student, Kansas State University







PCMA Student Union: Character Counts

WOW! That’s really the only word that comes close to justifying my experience this past week at PCMA Annual Meeting: Convening Leaders in Las Vegas. I again want to thank PCMA for providing me with the scholarship that allowed me to attend this meeting.

As far as my three objectives I am happy to report I met all of them.

1. Meet an individual who holds a position in the industry that I have not even fathomed

I met one attendee who I believe their position is focused on creating introductory music to help set the mood for opening events.

2. Attend a lecture that intimidates me and see what I can gain from it

On Monday, I attended “International Incident: Prepare for the Unexpected”. I have had the opportunity to study abroad, but I have never worked abroad. I was blown away by international challenges that had actually occurred to the panel. I found the round table session, where we worked with meeting professionals to address different international scenarios, very beneficial.

3. Learn what the industry is doing to go green (as this is one of my major passions)

One of the most unique features I learned in this area was not from a session, but from the MGM Grand itself. On one of the trash cans I saw a sign that indicated that all of the trash was sorted for recycling. This meant the MGM Grand was not leaving it up to the guests they had already made the commitment to going green itself. I was excited that PCMA had picked a venue that was committed to the environment.



PCMA Student Union: Character Counts


Overall I had an amazing time meeting many people and attending amazing events. Everything from Party With a Purpose to the Opening Ceremony to hearing the conference start with the Jersey Boys truly was incredible! It was amazing first meeting I look forward to many more including San Diego next year!

Photography by Jacob Slaton

Giving Back and Having Fun

Posted by:
Danielle Babilino
Senior Vice President, Hotel Sales, Wynn Las Vegas

It’s really not a “Trip to the Strip” without a stop at one of the hottest nightclubs in Vegas! Something PCMA Convening Leaders attendees learned last night.

Tryst at Wynn was thrilled to host the PCMA Education Foundation’s Party With a Purpose (PWAP) at Tryst – last night. We sold out of tickets and had a great time dancing the night away!

We're so glad you were able to join us last night, having some fun in Las Vegas, experiencing the Wynn, Encore and Tryst and helping out two great causes.

When we heard PWAP selected the St. Jude’s Ranch for Children as their charity, Wynn decided we wanted to do our part to support the Foundation and an organization that’s doing great work in the Las Vegas Valley – protecting its most vulnerable children.

We threw our full support behind this effort and subsidized not only the venue but also the beverages (which we hope you all enjoyed)! Along with the Founding Partner, GES, any many other fantasic partners – Wynn was proud to be the Venue Partner.
We'd love to hear from you - What was your favorite part of last night? Post a comment or let us know on Twitter at @wynnlasvegas - be sure to use hastag #pcma11.

Photography by Jacob Slaton