CHICAGO (Jan. 7, 2005) – The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) has partnered with MeetingMatrix™ International, Inc. to develop an internationally recognized event space management standard: PCMA Space Verification. This strategic alliance will provide meeting professionals with the most accurate, streamlined, and efficient event space communication tool in the industry.

Through this new program, MeetingMatrix™ provides both event planners and facilities with PCMA Space Verified room diagrams, ensuring that event setups which fit on paper will actually fit in the room. A facilities meeting space must first be “Certified” by a  MeetingMatrix™ Installation Manager by physically measuring the area. Measurements are guaranteed to be accurate within one-fourth of an inch.

“PCMA’s commitment to providing the hospitality industry with the best educational programs, standards, and tools is the true validation for PCMA Space Verification,” explained John Secord, Vice President, Sales and Operations for MeetingMatrix™. “For the past decade the event planning community has benefited from PCMA’s verification program and MeetingMatrix is excited to apply its 15 years of worldwide accepted practices to this incredible program.”     

PCMA Chief Partner Relations Officer Sherrif Karamat added, “As the industry leader and respected authority in space verification, our partnership with MMI will only serve to ensure that meeting professionals have the latest and most accurate tools in the meetings industry for the planning and execution of meeting logistics.”

Hotels, convention centers, conference centers, and venues alike can use the PCMA Space Verification program to guarantee the accuracy of their event space. Meeting planners can access these diagrams via web download or CDs during the site selection process. Once MeetingMatrix™ has measured and “Certified” the space at a facility, the property can display the official “PCMA Space Verified by MeetingMatrix” seal on its marketing collateral, and web site. In addition, “PCMA Space Verified” plaque can be prominently displayed in each facility, and the official seal will be seen in all MeetingMatrix Certified Room DiagramTM files.

MeetingMatrix™ International, Inc. is the premier provider of both drawing application software and room diagramming solutions for the global meetings industry and has been a pioneer in an emerging market revolutionizing the hospitality industry. MeetingMatrix International, Inc. represents 7,000 sites and 72 million square feet of measured and certified event space in more than 61 countries. Approximately 18,000 event planners currently use the software. Many universities worldwide teach the MeetingMatrix International, Inc. product line in their hospitality programs as the industry standard. For additional information, please visit MeetingMatrix’s website at www.meetingmatrix.com, or email [email protected].

The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) is the professional resource and premier educator for the meetings and convention industry. Founded in 1957, PCMA represents the interests of meeting management executives from associations, non-profit organizations, corporations, independent meeting planning companies, and multi-management firms who recognize the importance of meetings to their organization. PCMA empowers members with the tools they need to succeed as meeting professionals and to promote the value of the industry to their organizations and the general public. Headquartered in Chicago, PCMA has 16 chapters throughout the United States and Canada.  For additional information, please visit the PCMA Web site at www.pcma.org.

PCMA
Al  Rickard
Phone: 703-402-9713
[email protected]
or
MeetingMatrix International, Inc.
Donna Willome
Phone:  603-610-1600
[email protected]