We are halfway through 2021, so it’s a good time to reflect on where we’ve been and look ahead to the continued recovery of our chapter and the industry. Summer is here, so let’s also have a little fun! All the PCMA chapters will be participating in a Run/Walk Challenge starting June 7th and concluding
CONTACT INFORMATION: greatermidwest@pcma.org RELEASE DATE: June 8, 2021 PCMA GREATER MIDWEST CHAPTER MOVES AWARDS CELEBRATION TO FALL 2021 TO ACCOMMODATE MORE ATTENDEES CHICAGO, IL: — On June 7th the PCMA GMC board of directors voted to move the 2020 Awards Celebration to September 28, 2021 in Chicago, IL. The event will also have a digital
Congratulations to our Q2 Star of the Quarter, Jennifer Nelson! Jennifer is a Project Manager with Association Analytics and an engaged member of the Community Services Committee! Jennifer has been a rock star in taking the lead on getting the PCMA – GMC High School Hospitality Awareness Program implemented with the second pilot program that
What brought you to the meetings industry? An add on Monster.com in 2001. What advice would you give to your 18-year-old self? Don’t be in such a hurry – early in my career I was so focused on my “title”. What difference has PCMA made in your career? PCMA has opened so many doors while providing
The Emancipation Proclamation was signed into law on January 1, 1863, but many of the enslaved people were not immediately free because Texas was still under Confederate control. Juneteenth – June 19, 1865 – celebrates the day that Union Soldiers marched to Texas, announcing the end of the Civil War, and officially freeing all enslaved
By Kari Messenger, GMC Awards Committee Member The Spirit Award recognizes an active chapter member (professional or supplier) who does not reside and/or have a physical office in the greater Chicago area. Joni Opperman has been part of the Hilton family for more than 20 years. She started her career like many in this industry;
The Awards committee has been busy interviewing each winner and we will share these interviews throughout the weeks leading up to the Awards Celebration. Watch the 2020 GEM Award winner, Kara Patten, PMP, interviewed by committee member, Peggy Ford, as she shares her thoughts about this honor.
This month I’d like to highlight some things that I’m excited about! Our digital community powered by Social 27 launches this week for all our active members! Keep an eye out for communication and join us at our May 5th Lunch and Learn! We are launching this to increase engagement across all our member states,
Sponsorship Opportunities (June 2021 – January 2022) CONTACT: Jacky Meracle greatermidwest@pcma.org 312.423.7251 greatermidwest.pcma.org PCMA is one of the world’s largest, most respected and most recognized networks of business events strategists. Our members are industry leaders. Our chapter brings PCMA’s high – caliber education and networking opportunities to the local and regional level. We have
Congratulations to the GMC PCMA 2020 Award Winners! Stay tuned for special emails starting this month, highlighting each of this year’s award recipients. You can find a listing of the winners here. Save the date! The Annual Awards Ceremony and Celebration is taking place Thursday, June 24 from 3-5:30 p.m. at The Old Post
With summer solstice approaching, Anchorage glows under the midnight sun, soaked in more than 20 hours of golden northern sunlight every day. A host of new activities and attractions offer myriad ways to enjoy the long summer days, and a suite of upgraded accommodations offer lush city comfort for even the shortest summer nights. Even
Spring is springing and new things are growing for PCMA GMC! Our events calendar for the year is out and we are exploring adding even more activities! Attend, sponsor & join us – https://greatermidwest.pcma.org/events/ To facilitate our programs, networking, and engagement, we will be launching our digital platform using Social27. This will enable our chapter
Congratulations to the GMC PCMA 2020 Award Winners! Stay tuned for special emails this spring, sharing more about each of this year’s award recipients. Richard A. “Dick” Daignault Award Winner: Leslie Sargent Caesars Entertainment Chicago, IL Robert J. “Bob” Donovan Award Winner: Angie Silberhorn, CMP Warehousing Education and Research Council Oak Brook, IL The
On March 23, Dr. Whitehead delivered a powerful Quarterly Education program to GMC members on the origins and pervasiveness of systemic racism, as well as steps each of us can take as individuals to become actively antiracist. She discussed the importance of being more than an ally, and instead being an advocate, using your privilege
David Almond Regional Vice President of Sales | Associated Luxury Hotels International 20 Year GMC PCMA Member Why did you join PCMA? I originally joined the PCMA Greater Midwest Chapter because I was always given advice to be involved, to work with others, and to build relationships through collaboration. Message doesn’t really ever change. What an
Hot off the press! Sponsor the 1st GMC-PCMA Hybrid event of the year. Sign up today to take advantage of opportunities and celebrate the wonderful achievements of our colleagues. The June Awards event will attract approx. 75 – 150 ppl. A total of (6) awards will be distributed at the event. Recognition of awards will be celebrated
Sarah’s Circle On March 25, the Customer Service Committee delivered 60 sack lunches to Sarah’s Circle Sarah’s Circle – Helping Women Rebuild Their Lives in Chicago, Illinois (sarahs-circle.org) in honor of Women’s History Month. They were selected because they are an amazing, women-centered organization offering support to homeless women in the city of Chicago. These
A New Collective Impact Approach Offers Inclusive Entry-Level Opportunities for the Meetings and Events Industry Our industry is committed to providing more job opportunities for all individuals. For those interested in pursuing a career in event planning or tradeshow management, an apprenticeship program may be your best first stop to gain hands-on experience working with
I can feel the thaw out coming so I’m recording my video outside! It is true what they say about people in the Midwest, we can make 45 degrees feel like summer. We are approaching a year since we all met in person at the 2020 Awards Program. Although challenging in so many ways, this
Sign up today to take advantage of our affordable Digital Activation Opportunities: *Option 1 Banner Ad– Value $1,000 Banner Ad on GMC website home page (pcma.com) Ad will run on a (4) month duration 1-year commitment qualifies for the Silver attributes at a discounted rate of $2,750 *Option 2 Sponsored Communication – Value $1,000 Sponsor
Each quarter, our chapter recognizes one committee volunteer who has gone above and beyond the call of duty. For Q1 2021, we have two fabulous recipients as they were just too great not to acknowledge both! Jatare Barrett, CMP – First up, Jatare Barrett, the Director of Corporate Events and Conferences with Alpha Kappa Alpha
From Colleen Bingle – Chair Emerging Leaders The Emerging Leaders Committee is excited to host its first Virtual Student Day of 2021. The event will be with Michigan State on March 9th from 6:00-7:00 pm. Michigan State has an active GMC PCMA Student Chapter and we are excited to host this event as many of
February is here, and this week officially contains Groundhog Day! Nope, it’s not just that feeling that you get every day during quarantine! I’m recording this video after an amazing afternoon meeting with our board and chairs. We discussed plans for 2021, and I tell you those do not include repeating what we normally do,
Please enjoy this audio update from committee chair, Patti Olejnik, CED.
Under the bylaw change Membership Engagement has seen a re-vamp! We’ve taken the three committees previously focused on membership initiatives: Membership, Student Membership, and Membership Engagement outside of Chicago, and combined them all under one committee, Membership Engagement. Under the new structure of Membership Engagement we have three sub-committees. Please read below to find out
The month of February is set aside to recognize the many contributions of Black Americans to this country. Many times, the focus stays on Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Rosa Parks and Carter G. Woodson. And never to negate their important mark on our history, there are so many more who deserve
The Community Services Committee’s mission is to coordinate or create activities and programs to benefit members, local charities as well as overseeing chapter fundraising for our chosen causes. We will engage in partnerships with Midwest charities to create personal volunteer opportunities for chapter members, and to give back to the local community. Due to the
On the third Monday of every January since 1986, this day has been set aside as a day that work, schools, federal buildings, etc. are closed as a day off, it serves as the first federal holiday to honor and recognize the birth of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was an
Hi PCMA Greater Midwest Chapter and Happy New Year! We will be trying out some new communication channels in the new year, maybe even a podcast. In that vein, I have recorded my monthly president update via video. Thanks for tuning in! Here are some of the highlights from the video as we kick-off 2021:
Convening Leaders VIRTUAL Chapter Reception Wednesday, January 13, 2021 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm (CST) – Chapter Reception 5:30 pm – 6:00 pm (CST) – Planner Only Afterparty Location: REMO *193 planners (and counting) & 33 suppliers! Great value prop for a sponsor. Members are attending from all of GMC- PCMA’s member states. 2021
Hello GMC Happy Holidays! This is my last GMC President’s letter, and I am finding it to be bittersweet. It is most definitely sweet, because I am so excited to see what Molly Witges and your 2021 Board of Directors and Committee Chairs have in store for us next year. 2020 bitterly has not been
The Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Task Force continued their conversation series with a two-part event focusing on the millennial perspective on racial justice. The first part, a TED-style event, was featured in the GMC’s November Quarterly Education Webinar. The second event was a lively fireside with industry leaders, followed by a thought-provoking conversation with millennials
PCMA’s Convening Leaders will look a little different this year, but will be filled with the same networking, education, and innovation that we have come to know and love! Register today and keep your calendars free January 11-15, 2021. https://conveningleaders.org
Our industry is ever-changing, so the GMC PCMA Student Committee is hosting a Virtual Student Day on December 9th focusing on virtual platforms and the reality of hybrid events moving forward. Laura Welsh, Chief Executive Officer at Conference Solutions, will lead the discussion focusing on the growing new opportunities in our industry. Students can emphasize
Communications Committee Chairs say: “Alli has been the only committee member all year to constantly step up and volunteer for just about anything, she has always been on top of deadlines for the newsletter and always provides ideas for social media. She also stepped up and will be taking over as co-chair of the Marketing
Announcing the 2019 GMC PCMA Board of Directors
Hello GMC! It is November, a month anticipated for many reasons but for us, it was to be the month we met in person again at the November 10th Quarterly Meeting. With a heavy heart, I am sharing the news the GMC Board of Directors made the decision yesterday to move this event to 100%
Bonnie is the Director of Conference Content Design at The National Association of REALTORS® and she has had to combine her old skills with new creativity in response to the pandemic and the changes that have come with it. She says, “Having one of the earlier conferences to pivot from in-person to online has afforded
Welcome fall 2020 GMC Members! I am excited to share two upcoming events with you. Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Taskforce – we will host our 3rd community conversation on October 22 from Noon – 1pm CST. Register here. As you know, our goal with this series is to create a safe space to have bold
It’s that time of year again when PCMA-GMC is asking members to nominate their peers for awards. During the pandemic, we have seen our colleagues stretch and grow to help their organizations move forward. Others have worked their entire careers in meetings/hospitality only to be let go because of the downturn. It is important to
Welcome to September GMC! This fall will be very different than what our typical fall event season, but 2020 is not a typical year. My head spins daily with all that happens in our business and in the world. As someone who focuses on well-being personally and professionally, I find that I am having to
The GMC PCMA Student Committee hosted the first National Student Insight Series on August 26th. There was a fantastic turnout with over 100 students, recent grads, and industry professionals. The highly experienced panelists included Terrance Frederick, Brad Kent, Chirag Patel, Julie Smith, and Joy Womack. Phillip Ridley, the moderator, facilitated the conversation that lead to
The Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity task force kicked off their community conversations webinar series on August 20 with a session titled “Bold & Brave: Telling Our Stories.” Moderator Cherai Lewis engaged with fellow task force members on how they have seen and experienced racism in the business events industry, and how the events of the
