The annual conference brought together more than 800 global business events strategists, educators, and innovators to blend and craft bold new possibilities.
The heart of edUcon began with PCMA’s Hospitality Helping Hands initiative, where 47 volunteers helped beautify the Backside Learning Centre, a nonprofit organisation building community and enriching the lives of backside workers and families at Churchill Downs. A $10,000 donation from the PCMA Foundation will support Churchill Downs’ community members.
The Heroes of Hospitality award, sponsored by GES and the PCMA Foundation, was presented to two of Louisville’s hospitality heroes. Terry Badgett, a maintenance technician with Musselman Hotels, and Kimberly Rawlins, a sous chef with the Louisville Marriott Downtown, were each presented with a $5,000 check. Louisville Mayor, Craig Greenberg recognised their contributions, underscoring Louisville’s spirit of service. The Heroes of Hospitality award recognises front-line workers who exhibit positive and genuine values and embody the heart of hospitality through an extraordinary act and/or consistent performance that is truly above and beyond.
Sherriff Karamat, CAE, PCMA and CEMA President and CEO, and PCMA Board Chair, Neil Brownlee, joined Carrie Freeman Parsons in a fireside chat that emphasized agility, intentional leadership, and the importance of localized strategies within a global framework. Topics touched on AI, the vital role of EIBD, and the power of engaging the “now gen” workforce.
“PCMA has set a bold path toward our 2030 vision. It is a vision that calls for transformation, resilience and leadership,” said Karamat. “We cannot do it alone. As a global community, we must continue to challenge convention, embrace change, and lift one another up. Delivering on this better serves our communities. That is where our future lies.”
Incoming Board Chair, Kelly Ricker, led a fireside chat with Imani Ellis, founder of CultureCon, around the power of meaningful connections. Ellis emphasised the importance of adapting to hybrid events, showcasing CultureCon’s “Work in Progress” digital series designed to help participants identify their unique creative perspective supporting the year ahead with clarity and focus.
Denim Richards, best known as his character Colby in the HBO hit series, Yellowstone, shared how his principles for crafting a personal brand as an actor and entrepreneur can be applied to business events strategists during his mainstage keynote.
Innovation Takes Center Stage
Junior Tauvaa, PCMA’s Chief Business Officer, introduced the industry’s most recent AI-powered tool in partnership with dFAKTO. DestinAItor is a destination research AI tool powered with reliable and comprehensive data on destinations and venues from around the world, revolutionising how event organisers make informed decisions. Through a partnership with Simpleview and Tempest, destinations can easily integrate their meetings and events data into DestinAItor.
The latest advancements integrated into the Spark platform include upgraded processing, expanded language support to more than 35 languages, and two new modules focused on event planning and budgeting, from staffing to a timeline generator. SparkU, a new academic partnership program, bridges the gap between the classroom and real-world applications. Putting Spark in the hands of students not only prepares them for the future, it also empowers them to shape it.
Education, Recognition, and Forward Momentum
Previously known as the Event Leadership Institute (ELI), the progressive training and knowledge resource now operates under the rebranded PCMA Institute, featuring new credentials and courses. Two new courses unveiled at edUcon include: Mastering Business Acumen for Event Professionals, designed to build the strategic and financial skills essential for leading in the fast-evolving industry; and Sustainable Events Blueprint Certificate – the on-demand course prepares event strategists at all levels with the skills, tools, and insights needed to lead sustainability efforts.
A new recognition program, the Power Learner Award, was unveiled and presented to PCMA Institute’s first recipient, Nikkei Adeniran, Events Manager, Tithely, in recognition of Nikkei’s completion of the Event & Meeting Management Fundamentals and the Event Measurement & Analytics courses.
