Happy Spring GMC!   As I write this letter, I am reflecting on the week we have all had.  So many adjectives and not enough space in this article.

Thank you to everyone who attended the March Education Program and Awards Luncheon on Tuesday.  It was a true testament to our industry by showing up.  We had over 225 people join us to demonstrate the power of face to face meetings.   On behalf of the GMC Board of Directors, we cannot thank you enough.   Sherrif Karamat, PCMA President & CEO, was there to support us, give us an update on all things COVID19 and give us a glimpse of how we need to plan as our world is ever-changing.   Amy Blackman, Founder & Principal of Fruition.co dug into the 5 Meeting and Event Trends based on a recent PCMA Foundation study.   It was great insight on how business event strategists need to think for the future.  Special thanks to PRG and Murray Ryan for the education sponsorship.  Murry’s dedication to GMC can never be thanked enough.

The Awards Luncheon was truly magically.  Bill Martin wowed us with his wit, humor and his insight into the amazing award winners.   We honored Doug Dvorak as the 2019 GMC President…thanks, Doug.  I tip my hat to all of you for dedicating yourselves to our industry and GMC.  Thanks to Visit Salt Lake and Jeff Gassaway for the sponsorship.   We learned a lot about Salt Lake!

Wow, we can go from such highs and lows in our daily lives.   Our industry has been hit very hard this week by COVID 19 crisis.  My head is still spinning from yesterday when several unimaginable announcements were made… NBA, NCAA, travel bans and the many more events being canceled.   We are facing unprecedented times and lots of uncertainty.   It can be an uncomfortable feeling; however, we do know we will get through this.  It will pass, and we will keep moving forward.  Many ask at what costs?   We don’t know these answers yet as it is all still so new.  Many of our members are still trying to figure out the next steps.   This is where PCMA comes in.  We are a community of professionals and when a community comes together great things can happen.

My career started in association management.  Over the years with the many interesting periods of uncertain times (ie 911, SARS, 2008 financial crisis, H1N1 and etc.), what I have watched people come together through their associations to help and support each other.  Whether it be how to navigate the issues at hand or just get a professional opinion.   That is the nature of associations and that is the nature of PCMA.  We bring people together in good times and bad.   We can provide the support that each other needs in times where you do not exactly know what is coming next.   I urge you all to lean on each other now.   Reach out to your fellow members to ask questions and get each other’s opinions.   If you don’t know who to talk to about a situation, reach out to any fellow PCMA member and they might know someone can help you or reach out to your GMC Board of Directors.  We are here to help.

PCMA is our network to get through this.   Part of what I love about GMC is the vast network of professional and good people we have as members.  We need to see each other face to face and connect.   I am happy to announce that we have our event dates for the rest of the year.   They are as follows:

June 4                              Summer Education Program                                    City

September TBD               Fall Education Program                                           City

November 5                     Signature Event                                                       City

November 19                  Winter Education & Annual Business Meeting         Suburbs

December 16                  Holiday Mixer                                                             City

We are finalizing the locations of all of the above and they will be announced shortly.  Please mark your calendar now to make a point of attending.   If you are a planner and need financial support to attend, please add your name here to be sponsored by our amazing GMC 2020 Sponsors.  They are given planner registrations as part of their sponsorship packages.  We have a mechanism in place to connect those suppliers with planners that need the support to attend.

Please reach out to me if I can be of help to you.  We are a family…a PCMA family.  Family helps each other in good times and bad.   My new email address is [email protected] or my cell is 773-590-1613.

Thank you for your membership in PCMA!