PCMA Announces 2018 Global Meetings Executive of the Year Award Recipient


FRANKFURT, Germany, May 16, 2018 – Ben Goedegebuure was named PCMA’s 2018 Global Executive of the Year for three decades of generosity and passion for the business events industry at tonight’s IMEX Gala Dinner.

Goedegebuure is Global General Manager – EMEA for Maritz Global Events. He was honored by Sherrif Karamat, President and CEO of PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association).

“Ben Goedegebuure leads by example. Throughout his career Ben has worked across all business event disciplines; consistently chartering new trails and innovating how business is conducted,” Karamat said.

Goedegebuure, has been a passionate industry leader for over 30 years and worked on all sides for the business events industry – from associations, to PCOs, venues and agencies. Throughout his career he has built a remarkable reputation and sphere of influence.

Industry colleagues know him as generous, always willing to share his knowledge, and as nurturing to those new or transitioning in the industry. He has shown a strong commitment to association service, now as an active member of the PCMA EMEA Advisory Board.  Previously, he chaired PCMA’s International Task Force, served on the PCMA Board of Directors (as the first non-U.S. board member), and chaired the PCMA Global Advisory Group.

Today Goedegeburre leads Maritz Global Events’ global expansion in EMEA. In this role he is a well-respected trailblazer, innovating how business events are conducted and how partnerships among companies, suppliers and vendors drive successful events globally.


For media queries from the Americas, APAC, EMEA, and requests for interviews with Sherrif Karamat, please contact: Meghan Risch, PCMA Chief of Staff, Vice President, Corporate Communications

About PCMA

PCMA, PCMA Foundation and CEMA educate, inspire, and listen, creating meaningful experiences where passion, purpose and commerce come together. We are the world’s largest community for Business Events Strategists, providing senior-level education, networking, and market intelligence for the global business events industry. Our mission is to drive social and economic progress through business events. Headquartered in Chicago, IL PCMA has 17 North American Chapters, regional communities in APAC, EMEA and LATAM, and members in 59 countries. The Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA), a PCMA subsidiary, advances strategic event marketing and marketing communications for senior-level event marketers and industry professionals. Visit us at pcma.org.

About PCMA Foundation

The role of the Foundation of PCMA is to support the mission of PCMA through fundraising and grant-giving focused on scholarships, education and research that will advance the business events industry. Annually the Foundation funds over $700K in impact, and since 1985 has funded over 2,500 scholarships, 100 research studies and education programs, and $2.7M in charitable giving.

About CEMA

The Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA) is the eminent community for senior event executives, association peers and industry partners and is an integral component of the Professional Convention Management Association’s (PCMA) brand collective. CEMA promotes professional networking opportunities, facilitates peer-to-peer knowledge sharing and drives industry standards. Through strong relationships with strategic partners, CEMA fosters both finding innovative solutions to business issues and continuous focus on members’ career growth. For more information, please visit http://www.cemaonline.com.

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