Achievement and Recognition Awards Criteria

The Call for Nominations for the 2008 PCMA Achievement and Recognition Awards is closed.

If you have any questions, please direct them to Susan Salem Euritt at seuritt@pcma.org or 312.423.7250.

Purpose of PCMA Achievement Awards:

To provide recognition to individuals and organizations for outstanding achievement that serves to improve or enhance the industry
To demonstrate to PCMA members and others that PCMA values and recognizes outstanding achievement
To motivate PCMA members and others to improve and enhance the meetings and convention industry through their day-to-day work
To encourage volunteerism in PCMA and the industry through recognition

PCMA will present the following awards at the 2009 PCMA Annual Meeting in New Orleans:

NEW - Environmental Leadership Award
Distinguished Convention Service Manager Award
Distinguished Meeting Professional of the Year Award
Distinguished Member of the Year Award
Educator of the Year Award
Outstanding Service to a Chapter Award
Spirit Award

ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP AWARD

Description:
The Environmental Leadership Award was created to honor the best practices of an individual or organization who has significantly changed the way that they do business in ways that positively affect the environment and minimize the negative impact on the atmosphere that we have control over. This award will celebrate the achievements of a person or organization that promote sustainable environmental efforts in the world.

Criteria:
PCMA presents this award to an individual or organization who best implements their policies of environmental sustainability. An organization is defined as any company that serves the meetings and convention community, as well as any non-profit association or affiliated chapter. The award recipient will be involved in demonstrating environmental leadership by executing an "environmentally friendly" meeting/event or have implemented a "environmentally friendly" business practices into their workplace. This recipient has established and implemented detailed environmental policies and a strategy to execute them.

When nominating an organization for this award, please provide information that strengthens the nomination including:

A copy of the organization's best practices environmental/green policy (25%)
The communication strategy used to communicate environmental leadership initiatives to attendees and/or employees, membership, and stakeholders (15%)
The organization's economic benefit and cost savings (i.e. reusable badge holders, recycling initiatives, etc. and savings associated with initiatives) (15%)
Recycling initiatives that lessen the environmental impact and (i.e. china instead of plastic disposables, reduction in food waste, energy efficient efforts, recycling bins for paper, cans, etc.) (15%)
Social/Cultural initiatives that illustrate social responsibility and good ethics (i.e. adopt a school or neighborhood clean up project, etc.) (15%)
Intiatives that lead environment and/or social change (i.e. student research projects, white papers, etc. about reducing carbon footprint, eliminating waste, etc.) (10%)
Other data that will strengthen the nomination (certifications and/or other environmental recognition) (5%)

DISTINGUISHED CONVENTION SERVICE MANAGER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Description:
PCMA recognizes that the convention services department often determines the success of meetings and conventions. The Distinguished Convention Service Manager Award is presented annually to a convention service manager or convention coordinator.

Criteria:
The nominee should have shown exceptional performance, professional expertise, and seamless dedication toward fulfilling all logistical requirements of the meeting in an efficient and responsive manner, the nominee should exhibit a positive attitude, strong communication skills, cooperation and dependability, in addition to exceptional overall performance, poise, and on-site availability. This award is not limited to members of PCMA and is open to convention service managers in three categories: hotels, CVBs and convention center facilities.

When nominating an individual for this award, please provide information that strengthens the nomination including:

Ways in which the nominee: Anticipates, envisions, and exceeds planners' expectations (45%)
Resolves planners' oversights quietly and effectively (20%)
Educates planner to effectively utilize internal convention services resources as well as external resources (10%)
Generates enthusiasm about planners' event with staff and suppliers (5%)
Balances planners' and employer's needs cost effectively under all circumstances (5%)
Initiates creative and effective information to plan, coordinate, and enhance the event (5%)
Years in the industry (5%)
Previous honors and industry certifications (5%)

DISTINGUISHED MEETING PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR AWARD

Description:
This award will acknowledge a meeting professional who excels in their contributions -professionally, personally, and in their community.

This individual is:

Active in PCMA, either nationally or locally
An outstanding contributor to their organization
Involved in community service
Recognized as a mentor by their peers
A full-time meeting professional/planner

Criteria:
This award is presented annually to a member of PCMA and recognizes their involvement, commitment and achievement in a given year. Recipients are role models and exemplify professional excellence. Recipient should be a full-time meeting professional/planner. The recipient of this award should be an active chapter supporter, a role model to students, and a mentor to other planners and up-and-coming members of PCMA.

When nominating an individual for this award, please provide information that strengthens the nomination including:

Professional/career achievements (35%)
Meeting industry involvement (20%)
National/chapter Board and committee work (15%)
Volunteerism/community service (10%)
Mentoring (students, new members, new staff, etc.) (10%)
Speaker/author experience (published articles) (5%)
Professional designations, awards, and other areas of recognition (5%)

Include with submission
Letter of recommendation from an active PCMA member and a maximum of three additional letters of recommendation from other professionals of your choice such as past or current employers, customers, industry colleagues, etc.

DISTINGUISHED MEMBER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Description:
For more than 20 years, PCMA has presented the Distinguished Member of the Year Award (formerly titled the Distinguished Service Award) to honor members who have made exemplary contributions to PCMA.

Criteria:
The recipient should be an individual who has rendered outstanding service to PCMA, either over the past year or under circumstances that are special and may not occur again. The nominee must be a member of PCMA.

When nominating an individual for this award, please provide information that strengthens the nomination including:

Member's specific achievements (30%)
PCMA Board/committee positions (30%)
Volunteerism/community service (20%)
Mentoring (students, new members, new staff, etc.) (10%)
Author and speaker experience (2.5%)
Professional designations (2.5%)
Years in PCMA (2.5%)
Years in industry (2.5%)

EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD

Description:
Recognizing that the future of our industry depends on a well-educated, professional work force, the PCMA Educator of the Year Award honors speakers, educators, and college and university faculty for outstanding contributions to the meetings and convention industry.

Criteria:
The nominees should exhibit exceptional educational content in presentations or teachings and/or research and have a strong record of professional involvement in the industry. The nominee does not need to be a member of PCMA.

When nominating an individual for this award, please provide information that strengthens the nomination including:

Quality and impact of education program development and participation (30%)
Student mentoring and development (20%)
Relevant volunteer roles in the industry (15%)
Positions held in the industry/academic rank (10%)
Articles and publications (10%)
Testimonials (5%)
Professional designations (5%)
Number of years as an educator (2.5%)
Number of years as a practitioner (2.5%)

OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO A CHAPTER AWARD

Description:
The Outstanding Service to a Chapter Award honors one PCMA member who has made an exemplary contribution to PCMA through its network of chapters.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Each individual PCMA chapter solicits, receives, reviews and submits one nominee to the PCMA Achievement Awards and Recognition Committee. Please contact your local PCMA Chapter to learn how to nominate someone for this award. You will not be able to nominate an individual for this award though this Call for Award nominations.

Criteria:
The nominee will have exhibited dedication to the chapter in areas including but not limited to education, communication, membership or community service. The nominee should have demonstrated the ability to mentor, develop and impassion new leaders within the chapter. Nominees must be PCMA members. All nominations are submitted to their respective individual chapters via their solicitation methods. The chapter Board of Directors and/or chapter awards committee will then review and select their final candidate for submission to the 2008 PCMA Achievement Awards and Recognition Committee.

When nominating an individual for this award, please provide information that strengthens the nomination including:

Service in chapter education, communication, membership and community (30%)
Chapter Board and chapter committee work (30%)
Mentoring new leaders within the chapter (20%)
Other data (testimonials, press releases, etc) (10%)
Relevant volunteer roles in PCMA and the industry (5%)
Previous honors (2.5%)
Professional designations (2.5%)

SPIRIT AWARD

Description:
The Spirit Award was created to recognize and honor an organization that has significantly affected lives in a charitable or humanitarian way through the meetings and convention industry.

Criteria:
PCMA presents the Spirit Award to an organization extensively involved in championing the cause of those in need in our society. An organization is defined as any company that serves the meetings and convention community, as well as any non-profit association or affiliated chapter. The award recipient will be essentially involved in, but not limited to, one or more of the following categories: the donation of food, volunteer services, or surplus goods. The nominated organization should have performed exceptional services for, contributed substantially to, or donated a considerable amount of goods or services through the meetings and conventions industry, which inspired the lives of indigent or impoverished individuals in a charitable or humanitarian way.

When nominating an organization for this award, please provide information that strengthens the nomination including:

Quality and impact of the community service initiative/contribution (60%)
Samples of testimonials, press releases and/or news clippings directly related to nominated community service initiative/contribution (20%)
Previous community service honors (within the last three years) (5%)
Other data that will strengthen the nomination (15%)