Looking Forward to Philly -- Perspectives from a PCMA Cheerleader

Are you as excited about attending the PCMA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia as I am??  Well, OK, those of you who know me are thinking, “You’re ALWAYS excited to attend PCMA!”  Fair enough.  I always look forward to seeing my friends from across the U.S. and  Canada. Some of the most amazing friends I have today are ones I’ve made through PCMA.  Because of that, I tend to be a wee deflated when the conference is over and I know it’ll be several months before seeing them again.  But I digress. 

I’m supposed to be sharing my enthusiasm for the upcoming meeting in Philly!  I am very much looking forward to the education, networking, community service, chapter leadership, and committee work.  Johnnie White and his Program Committee have done an excellent job to provide us with an array of sessions that will surely improve our work life.  I know that the Executive Edge will once again be well attended and well received.  As for networking… well I’ve already told you how much I enjoy seeing everyone!  I’m very excited to participate in Hospitality Helping Hands.  I did so in Anaheim, and it was a rewarding experience.  I signed up for subsequent years, but the time conflicted with Chapter Leadership Day.  This year, I am able to do both, and am looking forward to it.  As a longtime chapter leader, I can tell you that this part of the conference is great, and while the name may be intimidating to newbies and the less-than-active, you don’t have to be a “leader” to benefit.   Chapter Leadership Day can help you decide if you’d like to be more active in your chapter, and in what capacity.  You have the opportunity to talk with members from other chapters who have similar issues you’re facing, whether it’s due to the chapter’s size or to whether a particular committee needs help.  At the headquarters level, this year I am honored to be a part of the Leadership and Governance Committee.  It will be a new experience for me and I’m eager to get started at our first meeting to be held in Philadelphia.

This will be my seventh straight annual meeting.  It seems like forever ago that I was attending the meeting in San Francisco, not knowing anyone.  Each year I have met more and more people, and now when I show up, I feel like I’m at a reunion of “my people”… people who know and understand what I do all day!  I often joke that I only work to support my PCMA habit.  Well, OK, and to pay the mortgage... but you get the idea.  I'm a self-proclaimed PCMA cheerleader.  If I don't already know you, I hope to meet you in Philadelphia.  Travel safe, and we'll see you soon!

Michelle W. Jones, CMP
Director, Member & Foundation Services
National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies (NAILBA)

Comments

[Johnnie White]

Just Excited!

Only a few days to go and let me tell you I am very excited. This is going to be a spectacular event this year and I am not saying that becuase I am the chair. The Program Committee and the staff of PCMA has done a great job! See you in a few days.

[Eve Pridmore]

Hi Michelle! This will be my first PCMA and while I know a fair amount of people in the industry, I have a feeling I'll be a little lost in the crowd too. I'm very excited for the conference, the sessions and the events. I hope I get a chance to meet you while we're there; I'm signed up for almost everything I could schedule, and I volunteered to be a photographer as a way to meet more people, so look for the girl taking all the pictures!

[Jennifer Harrington-Gordon]

Woo Hoo! I'm also looking forward to another PCMA. This is also my 7th year to attend and they are always just as good as past years. I look forward to seeing old friends, meeting new ones, learning new tricks of the trade... and this year, I'm curious to check out this Xperience thing everybody is talking about. I leave on Friday... see you there!