It’s 2020. Is the world the way you pictured it would be? I haven’t spotted George Jetson in his flying car above BG lately, but I suspect we’re getting there.

As your 2020 PMA President, I wanted to take a couple of moments to keep members in the loop with what’s coming soon. I’m so glad you’re all here!

With your help, let’s fill the year with positivity, excitement, new opportunities, learning experiences and grow ourselves and our organization together. For anyone who hasn’t met me, I’m Telia Butler, Director of Sales at Courtyard Marriott BG. Questions? Ask anytime: telia.butler@marriott.com.

Your 2019 and 2020 Boards examined the responses received from the 2019 recap survey. We plan to go over the AHA! moments at the January 21 meeting, but first I’m inclined to mention 5 heavy-hitting takeaways to indicate that your board is listening.

1. What’s most important to YOU in a PMA membership? Here are member priorities based on replies:

•  Networking with my marketing colleagues
• The cost of membership dues, lunches, and Markies entries
• The lunch menu and meeting venue
• Professional development and educational opportunities
• Markies bragging rights and showing value to your employer

2. For the 2020 Membership Drive, the votes were split EXACTLY 50/50 between February or March dates AND 50/50 between during the regular meeting time or after hours. So…drumroll…the 2020 Membership Drive will be in March during the regular meeting.

3. You liked the 2019 Markies, a lot. On a weighted scale, replies about the venue setup, menu, video format, program participation, event promotion, afternoon cocktail format, categories offered, submission process, entry cost and judging process averaged to a 4.55 out of 5.0.

4. Monthly Lunch ’n Learn Membership meetings are the core of PMA and provide the networking, educational development, peer recognition and community involvement promised in the PMA mission statement. On a weighted scale, replies about the networking time, featured program, promotion, guest and sponsor blogs, and $10 cost for a lunch, education and networking, the average was a 3.95 out of 5.0.

5. We asked what kept you from attending a meeting in 2019 and gave 9 reasons you could choose. The top results:

• 42% had another event conflicting with your schedule
• 33% weren’t interested in the program or didn’t think it applied to you
• 17% are prone to forgetting to register and don’t want to pay $5 extra at the door

Friends, marketers, countrymen:

PMA monthly meetings will be every third Tuesday at Mariah’s Restaurant banquet hall 11am-1pm. We plan to add a financial report to meetings to let members know where their money is going (meeting space, food, quality programming, Markies, and marketing subscription services aren’t cheap, folks). The January 21 meeting will be speed networking—seeing how the group values networking the most and we haven’t had an event like this in over 3 years. Invite your colleagues, people you keep forgetting to remind, and get to know your peers. PLEASE tell us what you like, dislike, are interested in learning more about, and share your contacts to help build the best experience in 2020.

See you on the internet and more awkwardly in real-life,

@teliab