It’s not exactly a selfless act: What you get in return makes it more than worth your time.
H
appy New Year! There’s something about the chang- ing of the calendar that seems
to give people a fresh perspective and renewed energy for the opportunities that lay ahead. The new year also brings
a changing of the guard at most associa- tions. We officially welcome in a new slate of wonderful volunteer leaders at our Con- vening Leaders annual meeting this month. Our volunteers are the lifeblood of this organization. We’ve long been fortunate to have many active and dedicated volunteers who contribute their time and talent to make PCMA the dynamic association that it is. We rely on their ideas, voices, and hard work to make us a vibrant and relevant community. This past fall, a record number of people ex-
pressed interest in serving on our headquarters committees. We were thrilled with the response — and pleasantly surprised, given all of the demands on our members’ time. So many of you have told me that by volun-
teering for PCMA, you get so much back. It’s not just the opportunity to network; many of you have said that volunteering helps you de- velop your own skills and has a positive impact on the organizations that you work for. Disney is one organization that has thor-
oughly embraced volunteerism at PCMA and is reaping the benefits. Remarkably, three of the 17 PCMA 2011 chapter presidents come from the Disney family. That’s in addition to five other “cast members” (employees, in Disney-speak) serving on PCMA headquarters committees or in chapter leadership positions, as well as the many other Disney staff members who take part
6 pcma convene January 2011
in chapter activities. Then there’s Anne Hamil- ton, vice president of resort sales and services for Disney Destinations, who serves on our Educa- tion Foundation Board of Trustees. Anne recently shared with me that “the
broader perspective” Disney employees get from “being engaged with the industry enhances their role.” Volunteering, she said, “helps them better understand what’s going on in the marketplace and in their clients’ worlds.” Plus, the unique kind of collaboration that takes place among PCMA volunteer leaders invariably strengthens existing business relationships — in Disney’s case, reinforcing its brand in the industry — and generates new ones, helping supplier partners derive new business. Anne, who has served in countless PCMA
volunteer roles for more than 20 years — includ- ing a stint as a Board of Directors member and her current role — told me that every time she’s volunteered with PCMA, she’s received “a fan- tastic education in return.” She said: “PCMA has also opened the door to an incredible array of lifelong friendships. I can’t overstate how much I value being part of a network of friends whom I so respect, admire, and learn so much from.” We at PCMA are indeed fortunate to have so
many loyal and active volunteers like Anne and her colleagues at Disney. We continually work to cultivate that spirit of volunteerism among all of our members. And in 2011 and beyond, we look forward to helping you strengthen your careers, your meetings, and your organizations. Our best wishes for a successful year. ■
PCMA GOES VIRTUAL: Want to get more from your Conven- ing Leaders experi- ence? Or maybe you didn’t get to the meeting and need to catch up on what you missed? PCMA’s new virtual environ- ment, PCMA365, offers education, networking, and a community that’s there for you — as its moniker claims — every day of the year. Go to pcma .org/pcma365.htm to get connected.