CHICAGO, IL, June 20, 2008--The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) has announced that Gail Fairhall has joined the organization as vice president of research.

"I am very pleased to welcome this industry and association veteran into the ranks of PCMA. As we embark on our new three-year strategic plan, research is a key tenant. In order to fulfill that tenant and best serve our members and the industry, it is important for us to add a dedicated staff member to help us advance on both fronts. Gail is perfectly positioned to help PCMA become even more relevant to members and to our industry," said Deborah Sexton, PCMA president and CEO.

"We are also excited to add Liz to our member relations team. Her experience within the association world and passion for serving members makes her an ideal fit for this integral PCMA membership position," Sexton added.

Fairhall's experiences include healthcare and insurance management functions, research and new service development, academic and practice management, and education and corporate training. Most recently, Fairhall served as director, benefits and financial services, at Oswald Trippe and Company. Her association experiences include serving as CEO of American Veterinary Medical Association Group Health Life Insurance and as a vice president/consultant with the National Alzheimer's Association. Fairhall has also held positions with Right Management Consultants, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center and Rush University, and HCA Chicago Lakeshore Hospital. Fairhall holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the Chicago Institute of Clinical Social Work, a Master of Social Work from the University of Michigan, and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University.

Giannini has been responsible for membership, marketing and regional programming throughout her five year experience in association management. During that time she worked as membership coordinator for the Society for Clinical Data Management and most recently as program manager for the Women's Foodservice Forum. Giannini graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communication and Print Journalism. She is involved with the Association Forum of Chicagoland and served as Co-Chair of their Young Professionals SIG from 2005 to 2007.

For more information on PCMA, please visit www.pcma.org.

###

The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) is the professional resource and premier educator for the meetings and convention industry. Founded in 1957, PCMA represents the interests of meeting management executives from associations, non-profit organizations, corporations, independent meeting planning companies, and multi-management firms who recognize the importance of meetings to their organization. PCMA empowers members with the tools they need to succeed as meeting professionals and to promote the value of the industry to their organizations and the general public. Headquartered in Chicago, PCMA has 16 chapters throughout the United States and Canada. For additional information, please visit the PCMA Web site at www.pcma.org.

The role of the PCMA Education Foundation is to support the mission of the PCMA through fundraising and grant-giving focused on education and research that will benefit the meetings and conventions industry. Established in 1985, the Foundation supports educational programs to improve professionalism in the meetings industry and to provide a university-level meeting management curriculum. The Foundation funds educational programs for meeting managers, hotels, convention and visitors bureaus, and other members of the meetings industry. It also conducts ongoing research of industry issues and concerns. The Foundation continually funds new programs to encourage the highest levels of professionalism in the meetings industry.