38% Professional 24% Trade 24% Medical or health care 11% SMERF 3% Other
Respondents who work for associations were most likely to be employed at a professional association (38 percent), medical/health-care association (24 percent), or trade association (24 percent). Eleven percent worked for SMERF organizations, similar to last year’s respondent composition — although this year, medical meeting pro- fessionals and trade association meeting professionals represented a larger percentage of respondents than last year. Respondents who worked for associations were more likely to work for one that was international (47 percent) than national (42 percent).
SIZE OF MEMBERSHIP
27% Fewer than 1,000 24% 1,000 – 4,999 13% 5,000 – 9,999 12% 10,000 – 24,999 9% 25,000 – 49,999 15% 50,000 or more
Association professionals responding to the survey were employed at associations that vary greatly in size, from under 1,000 to 50,000 members; approximately half (51 percent) worked for associations with fewer than 5,000 members. Average: 14,917 members
CORPORATE PROFESSIONALS SIZE OF COMPANY
39% Fewer than 1,000 26% 1,000 – 4,999 6% 5,000 – 9,999 14% 10,000 – 24,999 4% 25,000 – 49,999 11% 50,000 or more
Nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of corporate meeting pro- fessionals responding to the survey worked at companies employing fewer than 5,000 individuals. Average: 10,951 employees
Each year, meeting planners who are members of PCMA along with an additional group of Convene meeting- planner subscribers receive an extensive survey, which requests proprietary information and budget projections for their organizations. After answering an initial question on their professional role, respondents follow one of three survey routes: one for association meeting professionals and executives, another for independent meeting professionals, or a third for corporate meeting professionals. While each response path has several unique questions, many questions address the same area but are worded differently to reflect the respondent’s particular role in the meetings industry.
The data that follows were compiled from approximately 452 usable responses that were submitted. Two-thirds (66 percent) of respondents were PCMA members. Nearly half (49 percent) worked for an association or nonprofit organization; 19 percent worked for a corporation; 18 percent were independent or self-employed; 6 percent worked for association management firms; and 2 percent were employed by the government.
The departments that respondents reported to depended, of course, on their category and employer. With nearly half of respondents working for associations, they were most likely (42 percent) to report to the meetings and events department. Twelve percent reported to the marketing department, and nearly half reported to entities or departments other than meetings, marketing, finance, travel, procurement, or sales.
Most respondents held the position of director (39 percent), followed by manager (37 percent). Six percent each were CEOs or vice presidents. Not surprisingly, given those titles, this year’s survey-takers were once again an experienced group, with an average of 15.3 years of work experience in the meetings field. Eighty percent of respondents had at least 10 — and more than a third had 20-plus — years of meeting-management experience.
Given respondents’ tenure, these additional demographics should not be a surprise: The average age was 47.5, and more than half were college graduates — with 13 percent having earned post-graduate degrees. Likewise, as industry insiders would surmise, a large majority of our respondents — 88 percent — were female.