PCMA launches new hybrid experience for 55th Convening Leaders

The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) announced it is launching a hybrid component for its annual meeting, Convening Leaders, January 9-12, 2011 in Las Vegas Nev.


Virtual attendees will be able to access live complimentary broadcasts of PCMA’s general sessions, and select complete sessions and master’s series programs in the new PCMA365 virtual environment.

In addition to education, the hybrid event will feature numerous networking opportunities, partner showcase and resource center among other innovative components. Registration for the event will be complimentary.

PCMA launched its new virtual environment, PCMA365, on November 16 and has featured a series of webinars and education programs that have been met with strong attendance and overwhelming positive response from members and attendees.

“Virtual meetings are not only the wave of the future, but excellent complements to face-to-face meetings,” said Deborah Sexton, PCMA president and CEO. “PCMA has been working with INXPO, one of the industry’s leading providers of virtual events, to gradually phase in a virtual experience for PCMA members and attendees that will educate them on the strategic and tactical knowledge required to execute virtual and hybrid meetings successfully, while demonstrating best practices designed to keep them at the forefront of the meetings industry.”

Freeman was instrumental in bringing INXPO and PCMA together and will also play a major role in onsite production for the virtual platform during Convening Leaders. Content Management Corporation (CMC) will continue to provide their expertise to help power the virtual broadcasts.

“Convening Leaders is the premier event in the meetings industry and a natural fit for a hybrid event,” said Kati Quigley, CMP, PCMA chairman. “By providing meeting professionals with a new and innovative virtual environment to view PCMA’s signature education, along with new networking opportunities, PCMA will allow a whole new audience that is unable to attend in person to experience some of the education and excitement of Convening Leaders. Our goal is to arm both our face-to-face and virtual attendees with the essential information they need to face their challenges and recognize new opportunities in 2011. At the same time attendees will also learn more about creating a virtual environment of their own.”

As part of PCMA’s goal to educate the meetings industry about virtual and hybrid events, this year the Virtual Edge Summit will be co-located with Convening Leaders. Virtual Edge Summit, held January 12-13, 2011, offers educational sessions designed for meetings professionals including strategy, event marketing, virtual communities, and virtual-driven business models.