Impressively, our Heartland Chapter has 13 members who have belonged to the Chapter 20 or more years. Their contributions to our Chapter have been, and continue to be, invaluable. We benefit from their shared wisdom, experience and advice.

In today’s edition of The Pulse, we feature one of our 20-plus-years members, David Peckinpaugh.

Read on to learn about his favorite author, favorite movie, fondest Chapter memories, tips for young meeting professionals, and more!

David Peckinpaugh

President

Maritz Global Events

I joined the PCMA Heartland Chapter after moving to St. Louis in 2011 because:

I have been a member of PCMA for over 25 years in various chapters including the POWER, Southwest and Heartland chapters and my commitment to PCMA has never wavered. So, in our move to STL it was a no-brainer to move my membership to this great chapter.

My fondest memory during my many years as a PCMA member is:

As Chairman of the PCMA Foundation during Convening Leaders in Pittsburgh, I was able to announce that PCMA had joined in the fight against Human Trafficking which has been a passion project for Maritz Global Events.

My advice to a young professional embarking on their event planner/meetings business journey is:

Make sure that you treat everyone with the respect that you would expect in return. What I have learned in this business is that you will most likely work with, for, alongside with or manage many, many people and how you treat them will have an impact on your career. Also, be inquisitive and learn to actively listen… the skill of how to ask powerful questions will serve you well.

Other valuable resources beyond PCMA for meeting professionals include:

I always encourage everyone to look outside of the boundaries of our industry. One challenge that we all face is being too insulated from what is happening in other industries and other cultures. Expand your horizons and consider resources from colleges and universities, attend other industry events outside of your own and expand your thinking by attending events like C2 which bring together thought leaders from around the globe.

The biggest change in me as a professional since joining the Heartland Chapter is:

The continued power of the network of PCMA, and the chapter, on my career.  Having access to a diverse set of meeting professionals and suppliers during good times and bad (like now) never fails to deliver incredible returns.

My favorite book author is ___, because:

Simon Sinek and I am reading (again) the, Infinite Game, which is incredibly applicable to today’s business environment and talks about how and why businesses will thrive in the future.

The number of states in the U.S. I have visited:

48 (the Dakotas are on the list)

My favorite movie of all-time is:

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid or The Bridge on the River Kwai (old school). Newer move would be, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

My next splurge purchase/treat is going to be: Three scoops of chocolate ice cream on a cake cone.