Acquisition to propel both organisations into a new chapter as businesses and organisations adjust to the evolving role of business events in an omnichannel world.
The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and the Corporate Event Marketing Association (CEMA), the premier community for event marketers, are pursuing an agreement wherein CEMA will be acquired as a wholly-owned division of PCMA.
Based in Sacramento, CA, CEMA began over thirty years ago, with a vision to provide event marketers with the creative direction needed to drive innovation and growth for, what would become, the world’s leading organisations. Today, CEMA is 800+ members strong, with participation from global brands like Cisco, Salesforce and Oracle that find value in, and continue to support, CEMA’s programming and content.
What this means for PCMA and CEMA members
The relationship is a logical evolution of the strategic alliance cemented in January to introduce each organisation to new audiences. It will spark continued growth and development for both organisations’ stakeholders in the following areas:
Enhanced professional development and networking programmes: The organisations will cross-pollinate peer-to-peer learning, idea exchange forums and educational and experiential learning content.
Educational content and research insights: CEMA members can tap into PCMA’s sophisticated research portfolio, anchored by Business Events Compass. PCMA members can access CEMA’s diverse community of senior corporate and technology event marketing experts as speakers and collaborators.
Expanded member network connections: PCMA members will benefit from connections with event marketers who have pioneered business events as omnichannel engagement platforms for their brands. PCMA and CEMA members will benefit from collaboration and ideation within an expanded diverse global community.
Long-term stability and growth: PCMA will provide CEMA with infrastructure support and financial investment that will allow the brand to expand its membership and geographic presence. CEMA members will have access to PCMA products and programmes such as its category-leading Digital Event Strategist certification.
PCMA will maintain and enhance CEMA’s unique brand and cohesive member community through an advisory board (formerly the CEMA Board of Directors), and by preserving its current management leadership, events, and content while leveraging the global resource network and infrastructure of PCMA.
What are the next steps in the acquisition process?
CEMA members are currently voting to ratify the proposal as approved by both the PCMA and CEMA Board of Directors. Results of the vote are expected to be announced next week with the completion date for a final agreement expected in January 2021.
This is a win-win for both organisations, their respective members and business partners as they focus on the recovery of business events through the pandemic and beyond together.
Featured image by Scott Graham on Unsplash
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