PCMA Chapter Leaders, Committee and Task Force Members Meet in Dallas to Learn about Leadership

The 2006 PCMA Leadership and Governance Conference attracted approximately 200 PCMA chapter volunteers to Dallas. This year's conference was held June 26-28 at the award-winning Hilton Anatole. PCMA chapter leaders and committee and task force members gathered to hone their leadership skills and learn important information about PCMA while getting to know others who are active in chapters across North America. 

"Many PCMA members are senior-level executives in the meetings industry who are constantly working to refine their leadership skills and improve the bottom line of their organizations. They attend the Leadership and Governance Conference because it is one of the year's most intimate education and networking opportunities for industry professionals," explained 2006 PCMA Chairman of the Board Leigh Wintz, CAE.

Wintz and PCMA President & CEO Deborah Sexton spoke with attendees about PCMA's strategic plan. They also answered questions about the future of the organization.

Business leaders led several education programs to keep PCMA's volunteers on top of the latest strategies for success. Business consultant and author Michael Staver explained why leadership today takes courage and commitment. Allison Levine, leader of the first women's expedition to Mt. Everest, discussed how she uses her experience to get ahead in today's competitive business world. Cutting-edge corporate strategist Stan Slap described how companies can get "emotional commitment" from their managers and why managers should give it. Author Chris Trimble motivated attendees to set higher expectations and outlined the critical tools needed for breakthrough innovation.

One of the most popular activities was "The Bridge," an interactive session led by the creative training team Eagle's Flight. Attendees learned about leadership and logic as they worked together to build a model bridge. For more information about PCMA and its education programs, visit www.pcma.org.

Toronto: The Creative City That's Closer Than You Think

For its first international annual meeting, Jan. 7-10, 2007, PCMA chose Toronto - and there are several compelling reasons why. It's Canada's largest city and the country's No. 1 destination for meetings and conventions. The word Toronto literally means "Place of Gathering" in the native Huron language, a fitting name for a city that has been ranked as the most popular choice for U.S.-sponsored international association meetings.

Sixty percent of the U.S. population lives within a 90-minute flight to Toronto. American cities in that range include Boston, Chicago, New York, and Washington, D.C. Atlanta is just a two-hour flight. Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport is only a 20-minute drive from downtown, and currently the airport is undergoing a $9 billion expansion.

Gino Giancola, senior vice president of industry relations for the Toronto Convention & Visitors Association, says Toronto is the perfect choice for the 51st PCMA Annual Meeting.

"Toronto will be the backdrop, but the entire country will be front and center," Gino promised. "We'll have Canada night and Ontario night. We are known for amazing entertainment. No one will be disappointed."

The Creative City strives to live up to its billing. It's the third-largest English-language theater market in the world behind New York and London and also claims the No. 3 spot in film and television production in North America. Toronto is also one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, offering many cultural attractions in the visual and performing arts as well as a rich variety of ethnic neighborhoods. 150 languages are spoken here.

Even though Canada is known as the Great White North, the weather in Toronto is not as cold as other parts of country because the city is well below the 49th Parallel, about the same latitude as Boston. It's also one of the greenest cities in the world, boasting approximately 20,000 acres of parks, trees, and other green space.

Toronto's low crime rate makes it one of the safest cities in North America, especially for women travelers. It is also one of the best-educated cities in the world: 44 percent of its adult population has competed a post-secondary education.