Who doesn’t like a good comeback story? PCMA EduCon just concluded its annual three days of the latest and greatest in meeting planning in a city that put the pedal to the metal to show how far it’s gone in returning to the winner’s circle of events destinations.
PCMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat was lavish in his praise for the city of Detroit and the assistance of Visit Detroit in hosting the gathering of meeting profs at the riverfront Huntington Place to witness “live demonstrations of progressive learning formats and craft a modern event playbook filled with fresh concepts.”
“I’m amazed how the city has embraced our presence. We’ve really truly enjoyed being here,” Karamat said, adding that he also relished the parallels between the downtown’s renewed vitality and the comeback journey the meetings industry has been on since the pandemic.
Motor City Moments
EduCon leaned in on its Motor City presence. Main stage sessions were emceed by a celebrity Detroit DJ and “corporate host”—DJ Graffiti—who also mixed a Detroit R&B and Motown soundtrack to keep the energy level high. Catering showcased elevated Michigan and Detroit standards like Detroit-style pizza, Hamtramck pierogis and Greektown sliders slathered with tzatziki sauce.
An evening fundraising event raised $75,000 to benefit PCMA Foundation by piggybacking on the Ford Fireworks, a pyrotechnic extravaganza on the Detroit River that attracts thousands from Southeastern Michigan and Windsor, Canada, just across the river.
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The opening session, “Level UP: Rebirth, Reinvention & Creating a Culture of Innovation,” featured young professionals like Salem Daly of Third Man Records, who has also worked with major local institutions like Shinola and the Detroit Institute of Arts to foster cultural collaborations and brand interactions that forge emotional connections. Another who told her story was Mai Xiong, who was born in a refugee camp in Thailand of Hmong Laotian parents and came to the United States at age 3; she’s now a member of the Michigan House of Representatives.
“Your unique self is your superpower,” Xiong said.
Karamat sees attracting more young professionals as a key component of the industry’s own rebirth and reinvention. From the main stage, he urged every participant to welcome and mentor those new to the industry. “I say this at every PCMA conference, but I challenge you to make five new acquaintances each day you are here,” he said.
AI Was There
Not surprisingly, AI was front and center, too. “I know you are sick of hearing about it,” Karamat said, “but pretending it doesn’t exist won’t make it go away.” In fact, PCMA has embraced AI’s potential to help meeting professionals do their jobs faster and with less effort by launching Spark AI, an artificial intelligence tool designed for the meetings industry. The latest upgrades in functionality were unveiled.
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Becoming a more effective negotiator is always on the planner’s to-do list. Gaylen Paulsen from the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business led a workshop that was a negotiation simulation that immersed attendees in the process of pre-negotiation planning, interaction tactics and post-negotiation implementation.
Another session explored the integration of emotional intelligence (EI), cultural intelligence (assessing and improving effectiveness in culturally diverse situations, also known as CQ) and artificial intelligence (AI). On stage were Meredith Douglas, manager of chapter engagement for PCMA; Nick Borelli, marketing director at Zenus; and Chiriga “Zoe” Moore, strategic EDI consultant for Moore Consulting Agency. They highlighted the significance of designing with empathy and inclusivity to create events that connect deeply with attendees, celebrate diversity and leverage technology.
“The Art of F&B Planning: A Multidimensional Approach” was led by Tracy Stuckrath, founder of Thrive! Meetings & Events and a Smart Women in Meetings All-time Hall of Famer, who noted that the No. 1 thing attendees talk about after a conference is not your meticulously planned program, but the food you served. She shared her experiences on a range of issues, from the importance of knowing the demographics of attendees (“If you have Japanese attendees, for example, what do you serve for breakfast?”) to ordering alcohol (30% of attendees abstain or have only a single drink, while 40% of Millennials and Gen-Zers do not consume alcohol at all).
Other sessions tackled how to elevate a personal brand for greater impact; bidirectional mentorships; sustainability; inclusion that overcomes personal bias; making better sense of event data; controlling production budgets; immersive AR experience; and innovations in event security and trauma readiness.
The Power of Unexpected Joy
The final general session was led by New York-based comedian Charlie Todd. His “Creating Community and Connection Through Unexpected Joy” showcased how surprise and delight can bond attendees and foster a more creative and active experience.
Todd has racked up millions of YouTube views with his Improv Everywhere, which finds a humdrum, everyday setting and activates a totally unexpected immersion—like 100 actors freezing in place in the middle of Manhattan’s Grand Central Station during rush hour or a street-corner setup of classical musicians with a baton and a sign reading “Conduct Us” or a crowded subway car confrontation between a Princess Leia, Stormtroopers and Darth Vader.
