For more information, please contact Sandy Eitel at 312.423.7271 or seitel@pcma.org.

The PCMA Masters Series to Address Hot Topic "The Future of Work"
8/27/2007

CHICAGO, August 27, 2007 - The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) will hold its second stand-alone Masters Series program featuring influential Economic Futurist Jeremy Rifkin on Tuesday, September 4th from 3:00 - 5:00 pm at the Willard InterContintental Hotel in Washington, D.C. At "The Future of Work," Rifkin will lead a candid discussion about how bold changes in the nature of employment and the advent of a new energy economy will impact virtually every industry and sector.

"We jumped at the opportunity to add renowned speaker and change expert Jeremy Rifkin to The Masters Series line-up," said PCMA President and CEO Deborah Sexton. "Not only is this a unique chance for PCMA members to hear from a powerful speaker and social commentator, but also an important opportunity to look forward to what the future holds for business and the meetings industry."

At the afternoon education program, attendees will join Rifkin to:

• uncover the bold changes ahead in the nature of employment;
• gain insights into what these global issues may mean to business and meetings;
• and think proactively about the future impact of energy resources.

Speaker Jeremy Rifkin is an expert on scientific and technological economic change and the author of 16 books on the impact of these changes on the economy, the work force, society, and the environment. His book, The End of Work, is an international best-seller that is widely credited with helping shape the current global debate on technology displacement, corporate downsizing, and the future of jobs. Rifkin is also a frequent guest on numerous television programs, including "ace the Nation," "Nightline," "20/20," "Larry King Live," "The Today Show," and "Good Morning America."

The PCMA Masters Series, which was officially launched at the PCMA 2007 Annual Meeting in Toronto, is a forum for acknowledged thought leaders to provide executive-level education on applied business topics. The objective is to introduce PCMA members to new ideas and best practices which will influence innovation in the business of meetings and conventions. The most recent Masters Series program was held in Chicago on June 27th and tackled the issue of greener meetings and events.

Members of the media who are interested in attending the program free of charge should contact PCMA Marketing and Communications Specialist Julie Fawcett at jfawcett@pcma.org. For more information, visit www.pcma.org/MastersSeries.

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.