The weather was ideal for the inaugural Great GoogaMooga, the first ever “foodie festival” in Brooklyn on May 19-20. But most attendees would say this was the only thing that was ideal. Glitches are to be expected with any inaugural event, however … Continue reading →

by David McMillin
PCMA continues to outline a strong international impression at IMEX
At last week’s IMEX show in Frankfurt, PCMA continued to bring the corners of the worldwide meetings industry closer together. Sherrif Karamat led a team of organizational ambassadors overseas for a week of education, collaboration and celebration with buyers and suppliers from 150+ countries.
“With IMEX commemorating its 10th anniversary, our presence was a great statement to solidify PCMA’s position as the leader of education and business networking in the meeting industry,” Sherrif Karamat, CAE and COO of PCMA, says.
PCMA …

I’m here in beautiful Montreal, attending the first-ever C2-MTL Commerce + Creativity Conference. And this event just oozes creativity. It starts with the location — a former industrial corner of downtown called Griffintown, which is in the midst of revitalization. The … Continue reading →

I’m currently at IMEX 2012 in Frankfurt, the annual powerhouse exhibition for incentive travel, meetings, and events. It’s challenging for destinations to stand out in the exhibition hall, with exhibitors from more than 150 countries all trying to both get … Continue reading →

This Mother’s Day, as we do every year, my mother, sister and I participated in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Philadelphia. Just as I was impressed by the resilience of the breast cancer survivors competing (and kicking butt) … Continue reading →

I recently spoke with Michael Burke, a partner at Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, who chaired the American Bar Association’s Section of International Law 2011 Fall Meeting in Dublin last fall. Something he said about the meeting — and the advantages Ireland provided … Continue reading →

Convene is on the road again. I am on a pre-IMEX educational trip to Berlin, with planners from the U.S., Brazil, and China. Berlin is a beautiful city with a fascinating history, and is the fourth most-popular city globally for association … Continue reading →

The International Idea Exchange
How PCMA education is connecting the meetings community around the world
by David McMillin
While PCMA members can take advantage of educational offerings close to home, Michelle Stoddard, Manager of Global Development and Programs, is leading the charge to deliver learning opportunities around the globe. It’s an effort to open the lines of communication for what she calls a worldwide industry “idea exchange.”
Last week, PCMA partnered with MCI to provide valuable lessons to the rapidly growing meetings community in South America, and the schedule included programming in São Paulo, …

A couple of weeks ago I attended the PCMA Education Foundation Dinner Honoring Professional Achievement, where three outstanding members of our community were recognized. This event is always well attended and, despite the political duties that come with an event like this, I always enjoy catching up with people that come from all over to be a part of this. While I don’t necessarily want to extend the monkey suit wearing time, I do wish that I had more than a minute or two to spend with people that I …

  Following up on my post the other day, I need to reiterate the benefits of mixing media people and meeting professionals — at least for we media people. During our many site visits over the last few days (including to the … Continue reading →