Member Spotlight
In each PCMA ThisWeek the Member Spotlight section is dedicated to introducing you to one of our outstanding PCMA members!
Jody Egel, CMP, Meeting Manager for Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT), was introduced to the meetings industry while working for a DJ company in college.
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"I am so fortunate to have found this industry right after finishing school," said Beth Stehley, vice president of sales and convention services for the Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau, and 2008 president of the PCMA New England Chapter.
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"My first exposure to the industry was in high school," said Krista Fleming, meeting planner and owner of KF Events LLC, who worked as part of a catering staff over high school summers.
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Laurie Hawes, CMP, director of corporate events for the National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative, was born into the meetings industry...
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Dean D'Anna, 2008 president of the New York Area Chapter of PCMA, landed his first position in the meetings industry in 1986.
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Kerrylyn Miller, Sales Manager at the Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau (BCVB), received a degree in public administration from Montana State University. She was originally interested in entering politics.
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"I began at the age of six by producing back yard carnivals and involving all of my friends," said Dr. Joe Goldblatt, CSEP, who is now Executive Director for the International Centre for the Study of Planned Events at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh, Scotland.
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"I started working in the conference management office at the University of Washington during my third year of college, and realized then that this was the profession for me," said Kristin Mirabal, CMP, Senior Meetings Manager at the Optical Society of America (OSA).
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"I sort of fell into meeting planning," said David Little, Director, Convention & Meeting Planning, with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
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Janet Jakobsen, CMP, MBA, didn't have much trouble deciding to pursue a career in the hospitality industry.
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Michelle W. Jones, CMP, Senior Meeting Planner for The Forum Group first began her career in 1991 working for the U.S. Energy Association, where she spent ten years.
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Janet Cowley, CASE, is the Director of Convention Sales of the Cheyenne Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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Lisa Dyson, CMP, first began her career planning activities for military families while working for the USO of Metropolitan Washington.
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"I actually decided in college to enter the tourism industry, and received a degree in Natural Resources, Recreation and Tourism," said Diana Hakenholz, CMP, Director of Member Services at the Association of Collegiate Conference and Events Directors-International.
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Gennice Carter is the Senior Manager of Meeting Operations for AcademyHealth and a longtime PCMA member.
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Jim Goodman, CMP, now the Director of Meetings & Conventions at the American Optometric Association, originally aspired to break into the hospitality industry as a chef.
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Carol Riddle is a National Accounts Executive with Seattle Hospitality Services, LLC, and was the 2nd place winner of the 2007 PCMA Member Get A Member Competition.
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Like many industry professionals Louise Pochelski, CMP, Strategic Industry Liaison at Wyndham Jade, discovered her dream job in the meetings industry after first pursuing another path.
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Chase Clark, director, business development for Minding Your Business, Inc. (MYB), credits his theater background as the catalyst for his career in meeting and event production.
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"After graduating with a degree in French and International Studies, I started working for the Health Care Compliance Association doing miscellaneous jobs," said Lizza Catalano.
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Janet P. Coe, CMP, Director of Meetings and Conferences for the American Society of Appraisers, gained her first industry experience as a convention specialist within a small association.
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"I've heard someone else say this before, but as a kid I always wanted to be Julie on the 'Love Boat.' While I have yet to set foot on a cruise ship, I have had a great time planning special events for attendees," said Anita Lara, CMP, Conference Manager with Hanley Wood Exhibitions.
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When Joe Kissinger, sales executive at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, accepted his first position out of school at a hotel in California, he thought it was going to be "just a job."
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The Capital Chapter of PCMA is passionate about giving back to the hospitality industry. On February 5th, Capital Chapter volunteers held a raffle at their annual Mix 'N' Bowl event that ultimately raised $1200 to benefit the PCMA Education Foundation!
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Dale W. Shuter, CMP, Meetings and Expositions Manager, for the Electrical Apparatus Service Association, is the 2008 president of the PCMA Heartland Chapter.
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"I have never worked in any other industry but this one," said Bill Reed, CMP, Senior Vice President of Strategic Sales for Experient and 2008 PCMA Capital Chapter President.
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Like many of his peers, Michael Barratt, CMP, Vice President of Meetings for the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association and Chair of the 2009 PCMA Annual Meeting Program Committee, didn't follow a direct path to his current role as meetings industry executive.
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Nancy Johnson, Manager of Tradeshows & Corporate Partnerships at theInternational Society of Arboriculture, became involved with PCMA a few years ago as a student member.
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"The characteristics I enjoy most about working in the meetings industry are the collaboration and teamwork that are so key to success," shared Ben G. Goedegebuure, Director of Sales for the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (SECC).
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Dave Williams, CMP, is the Executive Director for the International Association for Energy Economics, and the new Chair of PCMA's International Task Force.
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"I don't like to say that I fell into the industry. I like to think that the industry found me," said Mitch Biersner, MTA, an Internal Events Specialist with AARP.
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Mich Mathews, Microsoft's Senior VP of Marketing, was among the featured speakers at PCMA's 2008 Annual Meeting in Seattle.
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Just like many other PCMA members, Stephanie Law, CMP, Manager of Business Development for Action Motivation, Inc. (AMI), didn’t get her meetings and events training while attending college.
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"I am currently the president and founder of pc/nametag, the country’s largest distributor of meeting registration supplies," said PCMA member Nick Topitzes, CMP. "But up until two years ago, I was still planning national conferences for over 1000 people."
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Johanne Stogran, Meeting Manager at the Botanical Society of America and 2007 president of the PCMA POWER Chapter, originally earned her undergraduate degree in rehabilitation counseling from Syracuse University.
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"I’m an occupational therapist by training…so you can see how the two fields are so closely related," joked Kerry Crockett, on how she transitioned into the meetings industry three years ago.
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"After being employed with British Airways for 23 years, I took the big leap of faith in June of 2006 and accepted the role of Association Business Development Manager with VisitBritain," shared PCMA member Maribeth Kisslinger.
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Sharon Andrade, who is Director of Business Development for the Effectiveness Institute and President of the Pacific Northwest Chapter of PCMA, broke into the meetings industry through an internship with the Spokane Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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