During its annual Convening Leaders event in Houston, PCMA announced the finalists for its 2025 Visionary Awards Lifetime Achievement Honorees and Professional Excellence.
The annual Visionary Awards were established to honor and celebrate leaders in the global business events community. Finalists will be honored at a ceremony April 10 during Business Events Industry Week at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.
The finalists include:
- Elliott Ferguson, President & CEO, Destination DC
- Donald Getz, PhD, Professor Emeritus, University of Calgary
- Lyn Lewis-Smith, CEO, Business Events Sydney (BESydney)
- Carol McGury, Executive VP, Event & Education Services, Smithbucklin (retired)
- David Peckinpaugh, President & CEO, Maritz
Elliot Ferguson and Lyn Lewis-Smith are being recognized as 2025 Lifetime Supplier Honorees, Donald Getz, PhD, as a 2025 Lifetime Educator Honoree and Carol McGury and David Peckinpaugh as 2025 Lifetime Business Events Strategist Honorees.
Other awards to be given at the event include:
Impact Award
- Christine Cleaver, Associate Professor of Instruction–Event and Entertainment Management, School of Sport, Tourism and Hospitality Management, Temple University
- Mackenzie Loy, Founder & CEO, Homemade in DC
- Visit Detroit Team, led by Claude Molinari, President & CEO, Visit Detroit and Co-Chair of the Detroit Local Organizing Committee for the NFL Draft
Outstanding Service to a Chapter or Region
- Krista Cameron, DES, Vice President, Industry Relations, Encore Canada, Canada East Chapter
- Sara McWilliams, Senior Director, Global Accounts, HelmsBriscoe, Greater Philadelphia Chapter
- Annette Suriani, Principal and Chief Meeting Strategist, AMS Meeting Solutions, Capital Chapter
Business Events Strategist of the Year
- Lisa Astorga, CMP, Director of Meetings, International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH)
- Jennifer Ragan-Fore, Chief Experience Officer, ISTE and ASCD
- Nneka St. Gerard, CMP, Chief Strategy Officer, Meetings, Membership and Marketing, Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine
Digital Experience Strategist of the Year
- Sina Bünte, CMP, DES, Founder, DigitalMind.events
- Mahoganey Jones, CMP, DES, HMCC, Founder & CEO, Event Specialists Inc.
- Brian Zambotti, Vice President, Business Development, Association and Societies, Conexiant
Experience Design of the Year
- AAPA team, led by Anthony Maggiore, CMP, Senior Director, Conference & Meetings, American Academy of Physician Associates, and Katie McCormick, Executive Director, Meetings, Events, & Convention
- RIMS team, led by Stuart Ruff-Lyon, Chief Events & Sales Officer, Risk and Insurance Management Society Inc.
Groundbreaker
- Jeffrey Fehr, Client Engagement Manager, Business Events, Destination Canada
- Lori Jenaire, CMP, CDS, MBE, Vice President, Global Accounts, ConferenceDirect
- Laurie Nelson-Choice, CGMP, Director of Diversity & National Sales, Visit Baltimore
Business Events Supplier of the Year
- Carrie Ferenac, Co-Founder and President, CNTV
- Alison LaFollette, CMP, Director, Mid-Atlantic Region, Visit Seattle
- Ronnette Phillips, Director–Hilton Direct, Hilton Worldwide Sales
Ticket and table sales for the 2025 Visionary Awards celebration will be available starting in February.
