CHICAGO (CelebrityAccess) — Professional Convention Management Association’s PCMA Foundation announced the PCMA Visionary Awards Lifetime Achievement Honorees and Professional Excellence Finalists for 2024.
The annual Visionary Awards, which were created to honor the business events industry’s leading luminaries, will be held on Thursday, April 11, 2024, during Business Events Industry Week at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
The 2024 Lifetime Achievement Honorees are:
Stuart Levy, Associate Professor of Management, George Washington University
Greg O’Dell, President, Venue Management, OVG360
Elizabeth Tovar, President, Turenlaces
Butch Spyridon, Former CEO, Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp (NCVC)
2024 Lifetime Supplier Honorees: Greg O’Dell | Butch Spyridon
“The Visionary Awards raises critical funding for the PCMA Foundation and is made possible through the support of many event sponsors, table hosts, and participants,” said Meredith Rollins, PCMA Chief Community Officer and Executive Director, PCMA Foundation. “We’re thrilled with the group of Honorees and Finalists for this year’s event. Our Awards Committee was integral throughout the review process of numerous outstanding nominees. We appreciate their generous time and commitment to identify the standouts this year who are helping move our industry and the profession forward.”
Along with the Visionary Awards, the PCMA Foundation also revealed the finalists for the finalists for the 2024 Professional Exellence Awards. The awards, which include seven categories, are intended to honor individuals for their contributions to their organizations and their impact on the professional development of others. The recipient in each category will be announced live at the awards gala on April 11.
The categories and finalists are:
Business Event Strategist of the Year
Matthew Wales, CMP, CAE, Vice President, Event Services, American Trucking Associations
Stuart Ruff-Lyon, Chief Events and Sales Officer, RIMS
Anh Nguyen, CMP, Principal, Spark Event Management Inc.
Community Advocate of the Year
Dr. Michael Time, CEO, TIME TALKS
Anna Williams, Director, DMC Network
Dana Johnston, Director, Corporate Strategic Partnerships, American Gastroenterological Association
Digital Experience Strategist of the Year
Shawn (Yih-Hsiang) Cheng, Co-Founder, #EventProfsBreakShit
Emily Stephens, CMP, DES, Meetings & Special Projects Manager, American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
Sara Stehle, CAE, CMP, Owner, Independent Planner, Wow Moments Experience & Event Design
Event Designer of the Year
David Hidalgo Ayala , CEO & Co-Founder, Tree Alliance
Jasmine and Tyra Dyson, Founders, The Brand Xperience Lounge, Boss Up Girl Co.
Kathy Lovato, Director of Scientific Meetings and Events , American Physiological Society
Groundbreaker
Robin Troutman, Interim Executive Director, National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities
Beth Surmont, FASAE, CMP Fellow, CAE, Vice President of Business Event Strategy & Design,360 Live Media
Rory Archibald, Senior Business Events Manager, Visit Scotland
Outstanding Service to a Chapter or Region
Marcus Eng, CMP Fellow, DES, Director, Meeting Operations & Technology, American Public Transportation Association (Capital Chapter)
Jimmy Le, Event Program Manager, IEEE Communications Society (New York Chapter)
Shelby Candrea, CMP, Meetings Manager, ASTM International (Greater Philadelphia Chapter)
Supplier of the Year
Eric Kincaid, Vice President, Sales, Choose Chicago
Doug Bennett, Executive Vice President, Louisville Tourism
Yurii Land, CMP, Senior Strategic Account Director, Maritz
