News that PCMA President and CEO Sherrif Karamat, a Canadian citizen, has yet to obtain a post-hiring EB-2 Green Card, and that PCMA has posted his position on its job board, has led to a great deal of confusion at the association and in the industry.
PCMA Chair of the Board of Directors Greg O'Dell fills in Meetings Today's Tyler Davidson on the situation and Karamat's status at the association.
Listen to the full interview with O’Dell and Karamat:
You can also view a partial transcript of the conversation below.
Tyler Davidson: Hello and welcome to the Meetings Today Podcast. We are podcasting from PCMA’s EduCon 2019 in Los Angeles. And we’re here with Sherrif Karamat, president and CEO of PCMA, and Greg O’Dell, chairman of the board of directors. Thanks for joining us gentleman.
Greg O’Dell: Thanks for having us.
Tyler: We have a list of things to talk about. The big news is Sherrif’s employment status. I believe you have a posting on your job board for the CEO position and there has been some issues obtaining an EB-2 Green Card. Greg, maybe you can fill our listeners in?
Greg: Sure. Thanks for spending some time with us. Let me give some clarification. As it relates to Sherrif’s employment, there’s actually no issue whatsoever.
I can speak on behalf of the board in saying that we’re delighted and emphatically pleased with Sherrif’s performance as our CEO.
What’s happening right now is that Sherrif is going through the Green Card application process. There are no issues. As a matter of that process you have to post the position.
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And we as the board are going to take that process very seriously. There’s a process in which people can apply and we’ll go through some evaluation.
But right now, it’s all a matter of course in this process.
There are no issues and this is no reflection on Sherrif’s performance. In fact, I will say 10 times over, he is doing an incredible job for PCMA.
Tyler: Great. And how long do you think the process might take to iron out?
Greg: Not quite sure … as it’s a government process.
I think there are probably a few more months ahead of us in that process.
Tyler: So when did you find out about this, [Sherrif]?
Sherrif Karamat: I’d prefer not to comment on this. Greg has said what he’s said. I work at PCMA with an H-1B Visa and I think that’s really all there is to say. And Greg has covered it.
Greg: The last thing, we’ll say just for further clarification. It wasn’t a matter of him finding out. It was actually part of the process they posted.
As he applied for the Green Card, he was aware of the process and that [the Board of Directors] was going to be posting the position. No surprises.
Tyler: I guess we’ll find out what course of action will be taken.
Greg: We will follow the process. And I foresee no issues in following the process.
Tyler: Well excellent. I appreciate you answering that.
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