PCMA Members Give Green Light to 2022 Board of Directors and Trustees Slate
November 16, 2021
Members of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) have given their full approval of the 2022 Board of Directors and Trustees Slate, which was introduced to PCMA’s membership on Sept. 8. The new Directors and Trustees will assume office immediately following the organization’s signature event, Convening Leaders, set for Jan. 9-12, 2022 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas or online.
Held annually since 1956, the 2022 event will mark the first gathering of the organization’s more than 8,400 professional and student members in two years.
Effective Jan. 12, the Board’s structure will consist of a governing body comprising directors and trustees for both PCMA and the PCMA Foundation. The executive officers approved for 2022 include:
- Chairman: Charles Starks, President and CEO, Music City Center
- Chairwoman Elect: Desirée Knight, Senior Director of Education & Meetings, American Railway Engineering and Maintenance-of-Way (AREMA)
- Secretary-Treasurer: Leonard Hoops, President and CEO, Visit Indy
- Immediate Past Chairwoman, PCMA Board of Directors: Kirsten Olean, Director of Meetings, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
- Immediate Past Chairwoman, PCMA Foundation Board of Trustees: Angie Ranalli, Vice President of Sales, San Diego Tourism Authority
“The 2022 PCMA Board of Directors and Trustees reflects an organization that is prepared to embrace the opportunities and challenges for the business events industry in the coming years,” said Sherrif Karamat, president and CEO of PCMA. “The Board slate is not only inclusive but also focused on using the business events industry platform to realize economic and social transformation.”
The following individuals will begin serving a two-year term (2022–2023):
- Fernando Fondevila, CEO, Promtur Panama
- Veemal Gungadin, Founder and CEO, GlobalSign.In
- Gladys O’Mahony, Vice President, Global Sales Organization, Caribbean and Latin America, Marriott International
- Peter O’Neil, CEO, ASIS International
- Annalisa Baccara Ponchia, Director of Innovation and Customer Experience and Director of International Congress, AIM Group International
- Chantal Sturk-Nadeau, Executive Director, Business Events, Destination Canada
- Panos Tzivanidis, Director, Corporate Events & Services, International Olympic Committee
The following individuals are serving the final year of a three-year term (2020–2022):
- Lisa Astorga, Director of Meetings, International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis
- Karen Cooper, Senior Manager, Event and Tradeshow Strategy, Poly
- Benjamin Erwin, President and CEO, Encore
- Bianca Ferrer, Creative Director, B&I Creative Group
- Diane Kovats, CEO, International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB)
- Paula Rowntree, Head of Events, Australian Psychological Society
- Ana María Viscasillas, President and Chief Visionary, Business Tourism Services
In addition, Karamat will serve as a director and trustee in an ex-officio capacity.
Don’t miss any event-related news: Sign up for our weekly e-newsletter HERE and engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram!
Partner Voices
Dallas already boasts 35,000 hotel rooms, award-winning global cuisine, and a walkable downtown. But we are just getting started.
Visit Dallas is thrilled to announce that the city of Dallas is doubling down with a massive new convention center and entertainment district. Featuring 800,000 square feet of exhibit area, 260,000 square feet of meeting rooms, and 170,000 square feet of ballroom. The center will connect business travelers with dining and shopping options in the popular Cedars District means more places to get down to business, and even more ways to unwind.
“Dallas is already a great meetings and conventions destination, with the accessibility of two major airports, affordable labor, and an outstanding hotel product,” said D. Bradley Kent, Visit Dallas senior vice president and chief sales officer. “The new center and Convention Center District will enhance Dallas’ competitive position and are exactly what our customers’ need and have been asking for."
What’s New – AT&T Discovery District
Located in the heart of Downtown Dallas, this new district on the AT&T corporate campus is tailor-made for groups of all sizes. It boasts a multi-sensory experience, including outdoor event space, the AT&T Theater, and multiple dining outlets including JAXON Beer Garden and The Exchange, a bustling food hall.
Hotels Coming Soon
Names like the JW Marriott (Downtown), lnterContinental Dallas (Uptown), and Hotel Swexan (Uptown) are adding luxury amenities and bountiful event spaces. The projects will debut in 2023 and beyond.
JW Marriott
This new, 15-story, 283-room hotel will open in the heart of the city’s downtown Arts District this year. The property features a 25,000-square-foot grand ballroom, as well as a spa, restaurant, lobby bar, fitness center, and a rooftop pool deck and bar.
InterContinental Dallas
Located in Cityplace Tower in Uptown, InterContinental Dallas will feature sweeping panoramic views of the Dallas skyline. Guests will enjoy spacious, high-end rooms and amenities, including more than 21,000 square feet of event space.
Hotel Swexan
Hotel Swexan, a new, 22-story luxury property, is rising in Uptown’s Harwood District and will make its mark on the Dallas skyline. Opening this year, it is a sculptural building with cantilevered upper floors, as well as a 75-foot rooftop infinity-edge swimming pool and a hidden underground lounge.
Add new comment