I was honored to receive the Heartland Chapter scholarship to attend PCMA Convening Leaders January 13-15, 2025, in Houston! I had not been able to attend Convening Leaders for several years, for many reasons, so it was even more impressive for me to see all the new additions to meeting, such as the growth in the District. I also loved seeing so many people at our Heartland Chapter reception on Sunday night.
I came away reminded of the essential role that the professional convention managers play in shaping America, via the industry or non-profit we work with.

The general sessions were outstanding. Scott Galloway’s final thought stuck with me, as he implored male attendees to find a young man to mentor. Young men need good men to learn from and look up to!

Brené Brown was a great choice for speaker, believing, as she does, that “the only way to live a meaningful life is through embracing genuine connection with other people.”  She spoke directly to us as meeting professionals and the profound impact we can have on the thousands that attend our meetings and conventions by crafting meaningful experiences for our attendees.

Keynote speaker Kishore Mahbubani spoke about how the rapid growth of global markets will reshape many industries and allow for innovations and new connections. He predicted we would all be watching more and more news on YouTube!

I loved Liz Cheney for her bravery and encouragement to not give up. In fact, she said just the opposite. She asked us to consider running for office.
But the highlight of the general sessions for me was Amal Clooney. She is not only mesmerizingly beautiful but brilliant. She spoke about how she came to represent clients in international courts like the European Court of Human Rights; how freedom of the press is vital, and how important it is  to free reporters that have been falsely charged and sentenced to life in prison or worse. She spoke about recognizing our own platform as meeting professionals and using it. I certainly left inspired.

The PCMA District has grown so much and made CL25 even more fun. I was happy to see second-tier cities have a chance to be showcased. The Tech Alley offered some great tools and the chance for a new headshot.  

I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t say “cowboy hats off” to Houston. They had thought of everything to allow for a smooth arrival and departure, including a very efficient bag check and pick-up to showcase their ability to host a huge meeting and do it safely at the George R. Brown Convention Center, JW Marriott, Hilton Americas and the Avenido Plaza. The opening-night reception on the Avenido Plaza was over the top, with a Ferris wheel, food trucks, a fantastic funky band and lots of great Texas-themed memorabilia from the event! All in all, it was a fantastic few days, and I’m already thinking of attending next year in Philadelphia and bringing some of my clients with me!

And one final thanks to the Heartland Chapter for allowing me to attend as a scholarship winner!

Teresa