One of the nice things about working in convention management is that it operates on a yearly cycle. There's the frenetic pace leading up to an annual convention or trade show: all of the planning and implementation stages for the big event, the "all-hands-on-deck" mentality during the event, the time spent evaluating that event and dreaming for the next one … and then it starts all over again. It's easy to delineate the different phases and mark progress from year to year.

Many people say their favorite time is that period right after a successful event, when they are full of great ideas for creating an even better one next year. It's that inspired period that propels them through the year and leaves them amazed, when it comes time for that big event, at just how quickly a year flies by. This month brings the one-year mark in my tenure at PCMA. Now it's my turn to marvel at how quickly the year has passed. I'm so proud of what we as an organization have been able to accomplish.

We're making a lot of changes to make us more member-centric. Our newly adjusted organizational structure puts emphasis on serving our members. The membership department is more than just the people you meet when you join PCMA or renew your membership. We're working toward making our membership staff members your ongoing resources throughout the year.

We're also increasing the size of our marketing department so we can better communicate our programs and services. Our Web site has been upgraded and will continue to be improved with more information, resources, services, and a more user-friendly functionality than ever before.

We're building upon our meeting services team, and we're enhancing our education department so that we can improve our already high-quality education. Since this is a key pillar of our mission, members will be receiving an education needs assessment in the near future. I encourage you to let us know what has helped you in the past, what hasn't, and what you could use going forward.

We'll also be continuing to visit our chapters to hear more about what PCMA can do for you. However, please don't wait for a formal survey or visit from us … let us know, at any time, how PCMA can be most valuable to you.

Just as your ears are wide open for new ideas in the early convention planning stages, it's our goal to be like that year-round. A year certainly flies by quickly, especially when you're constantly striving to do and be more.