CEMA Newsletter: April 2024
OPENING LETTER
Brian Mason
VP Strategy and Operations, CEMA
I can’t even begin to express how thrilled and thankful I am for this amazing new opportunity. Let me take you back to where it all began for me — back in 2012 at The Wynn in Las Vegas for my very first Summit. The energy, the camaraderie — it was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. I left that event buzzing with excitement, eagerly counting down the days until the next one.
And you know what? I have some incredible people to thank for introducing me to this wonderful association: Michelle Schneider, Billie Little, and Gordon Stake — true CEMA legends. They opened the door for me, and from that moment on, I was hooked. Making connections, attending more events, soaking up knowledge from fellow members — it’s been an incredible journey, and I couldn’t be more grateful to be a part of this community.
Over the next 12 years I worked my way up through the Salesforce events team with special thanks to CEMA members like Elizabeth Gilstrap (Salesforce), Debbie Brewer (Service Now), Karen Flores (Okta), and Catherine Simmons (Salesforce), and made lifelong friendships attending CEMA events like NFL Draft, CMT Fan Fest, and even our own Dreamforce study tour.
The CEMA Summits in Nashville, Terrenea, and Salt Lake City are some of my favorites. I deepened my relationships with people like Kristen Waters (Opus) Richard Steinau (Bellwether) and Pat Swan (formerly MVS). Each year’s Summit was a family reunion that I look forward to attending.
In 2022, past CEMA Advisory board president and friend Stacy Kashubeck asked me to join the advisory board, and little did I know, it would lead me here. I have learned so much from this community and I look forward to giving back all that I have received.
I would love to hear from you. Our annual member survey is out right now, but please feel free to personally contact me Brian@cemaonline.com. We are excited for all the potential in front of us and are working to make this a better association for you. Exciting things are on the way!!!
CEMA Summit: REGISTRATIONS is LIVE!!!
CEMA Summit: August 4-6th Seattle, WA
Register now for the 35th annual CEMA Summit!
Why Attend:
Join us from the dynamic atmosphere of Seattle as we explore the intersection of strategy, purpose, and play. Discover how this balanced approach can elevate your events to new heights. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or new to the industry, CEMA Summit offers invaluable insights, actionable strategies, and unparalleled networking opportunities.
What to Expect:
Experience thought-provoking keynotes, engaging panel discussions, hands-on workshops, and interactive sessions led by experts at the forefront of the industry — all set against the iconic backdrop of Seattle’s skyline and vibrant culture. Dive deep into the three content pillars of CEMA Summit 2024: Synergy by Design, Innovative Playfulness, and Purpose-Driven Leadership, as you immerse yourself in the unique energy of the Emerald City.
To continue the relaxed and safe community where we can learn, share and network, CEMA Summit is a no selling environment pre and during the event. Any activity to do such will result in removal from the entire event with no refund given. This is a 1-strike rule confirmed by two or more members.
EARTH MONTH = SUSTAINABILITY
April is Earth month and as we celebrate on the 22nd. CEMA is looking at ways to bring more sustainability into our community. We are thrilled to partner with Workday and the Society for Sustainable Events to bring you the Workday Rising Study tour later this year. In fact, we are working on a lot of events for you this year, so be on the lookout for announcements coming soon.
Convene, our monthly publication, offers some great sustainability information. Here are two great articles to kick off Earth Month.
Game Changer: Paris 2024 Olympics Takes Bold Strides Toward Sustainability
ANNUAL MEMBER SURVEY – EXTENSION
We are extending our annual survey to make sure we have heard everyone’s feedback. The response has been great so far, and we love the comments we are receiving. The survey takes only 5 – 7 min.
The survey will remain open until April 30th. For anyone that has answered the survey in April you will be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card. Start the Survey »
The winner of the March survey gift card is Grace Burns Sr. Director of Events at AppFolio. Congratulations Grace and thank you for the feedback.
ADVISORY BOARD SPOTLIGHT
Okay, I was wrong. Like, really wrong.
When PCMA acquired CEMA (Corporate Event Marketing Association) during the pandemic, I was…let’s call it…angry (can you say “pissed off” on LinkedIn?). CEMA was so unique and truly special in the events industry because its culture and community allowed for the free flow of ideas and discussions between Event Marketers and suppliers. With their acquisition, I knew all that would change and CEMA would become just another sponsor-driven organization dominated by overly aggressive salespeople hyper-focused on collecting business cards and leads. Ugh.
In 2021 I was asked to join the CEMA Board and did so with the mentality that I would fight PCMA and try to save CEMA. A true David vs Goliath battle that I was prepared to fight…and I had more than a few stones ready. And then it got weird, really weird, because I found that PCMA’s leadership shared the same immense respect and commitment to preserving the unique elements of CEMA. In reality, PCMA was committed to making investments in CEMA to improve its value to its members. It all sounded great…but I was more than a little skeptical and continued to expect the worst. After 2 years, those fears have been unfounded, and I’ve found the opposite to be true…thankfully.
Last week, I attended the PCMA leadership conference with several fellow CEMA Board members. We focused on strategies and priorities for CEMA over the next 3 years and I had the opportunity to spend quality time with CEMA’s new leader, Brian Mason. I could go on for several paragraphs about how impressed and excited I was, but suffice to say Brian’s vision, experience and passion combined with PCMA’s investment in valuable resources is an exceptional foundation for CEMA in 2024 and beyond.
Nearly twenty years ago, I fell in love with CEMA when I attended my first Summit. Since then, I have devoted considerable hours to supporting the organization because I saw how CEMA helped individuals thrive in their careers and watched a community become a family. Today, I’m more optimistic than ever that the next three years will provide “best-ever” experiences and education for CEMA’s members.
Grateful to be a CEMA member.
Grateful for PCMA’s sincere commitment to CEMA.
Grateful to be proven wrong, really wrong.
EVENT NEWS WORTH READING
The Path to Executive: Grab the Stretch Assignment (and a Mentor)
MeetingsNet
From early in her career, Amy Walter, CMP, head of global event strategy & shared services at Atlassian, knew she wanted to influence strategy and creative aspects of events. Then she seized her opportunity. Read more»
Uncertainty to Strategy: Navigating the Evolving Landscape of Business Travel Risk
Business Travel News
In this opinion piece, the CEO of risk management firm Global Guardian outlines some key ways corporations can approach the current business travel risk landscape to ensure the safety of their employees, infrastructure, and assets, no matter where they are. Read more»
Experiential marketing 2024: Personalized, seamless, multi-sensory storytelling
Fast Company
Storytelling underpins the film industry, live entertainment, corporate events, brand activations, and the human experience. Read more»
Hotel executives say ‘junk fee’ rules should apply to all
Travel Weekly
Amid mounting U.S. legislative pressure on “junk fees,” hospitality industry leaders say they welcome regulation as long as it is evenly applied across the lodging sector as a whole. Read more»
Five Ways to Make Sure Extroverts Don’t Dominate Brainstorming Sessions — or Meetings
Fast Company
Any leader overseeing a brainstorming session or meeting should consider these factors to ensure everyone’s ideas are heard. Read more»
Don’t Underestimate the Power of Small Breaks During a Busy Workday
Harvard Business Review
Many people operate from the belief that there’s too much to do and they can’t afford to pause during their workday. But taking effective breaks is essential to preventing burnout. Read more»
UPCOMING EVENTS
CEMA LAb: Philadelphia
- Date: May 30, 2024
- Time: 8:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Venue: The Notary Hotel
21 N Juniper St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 - Sponsors:
Additional CEMA Thought Leaderships events are coming in June to Chicago and New York.
Be on the lookout for more information.
POP UP Opportunity!!!!
May 8th San Francisco – RSA Pop up.
We will be hosting a happy hour at Burma Love from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. (8 Mint Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94110). Please stop by for a drink and to connect with our bay area members. Bring a guest to discover all that CEMA has to offer. Register for the event here.
Brought to you by your sponsors:
Hilton Worldwide Sales
Hilton San Francisco Union Square
Hilton San Diego Bayfront
Streamlinevents
CAREER CENTER
Check out our new career center that allows you to post up to 4 jobs a year…
MEMBERSHIP BONUS
Thanks to our incredible partner, Marriott, any event marketer who has already renewed or becomes a member for 2024 and registers for CEMA Summit by May 6th, will be eligible to upgrade to a Platinum status on Marriott Bonvoy for 90 days. Within those 90 days, if you stay at a Marriott for 15 paid nights, you will maintain your Platinum status for the year!
Make sure to join Marriott Bonvoy today so you can have your Bonvoy number ready for registration. Registration for CEMA Summit is now open!