The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) has chosen Pittsburgh and San Francisco to host its 2019 and 2020 Convening Leaders, respectively.

The event is the association’s annual education conference that attracts more than 4,200 event professionals.

“Convening Leaders is the premier industry event for leading business event professionals,” said Deborah Sexton, president and CEO of PCMA.

She continued, “Our participants and partners attend this event every January to network with their colleagues from around the globe and seek out innovation for their upcoming programs. Both Pittsburgh and San Francisco are unique welcoming destinations with tremendous knowledge capital communities that will contribute valuable ideas and intuitive talents to our program.”

In 2019, Convening Leaders will head to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, known as” City of Bridges” due to the more than 400 bridges that dot its landscape.

Once known as “The Steel City,” the destination has transformed itself into a technology hub with companies such as Google, Apple, Bosch, Facebook, Uber, Nokia, Autodesk and IBM among the 1,600 technology firms generating $20.7 billion in annual payrolls and local intellectual capital. 

Located in Downtown Pittsburgh, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center blends space, functionality and flexibility with cutting-edge technology and boasts a reputation as one of the greenest convention centers in the U.S.

In addition, Pittsburgh is home to 68 colleges and universities, including research and development leaders Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh, cerebral resources PCMA plans to tap into to bring risks, new ideas and innovation to Convening Leaders’ content. 

“We are so excited to host the 2019 PCMA Convening Leaders Conference in Pittsburgh in 2019 that five minutes after the announcement the team started our planning,” said Craig Davis, president and CEO of VisitPittsburgh. 

He continued, “PCMA attendees who have never been to our great city or who haven’t been here a while, will quickly find out why Pittsburgh is amongst the top travel destinations in the world, best food cities and cultural district in the U.S. and one of the friendliest cities. Although our historical roots are in steel, our never quit work ethic has transitioned our region to become a hot bed for education, medicine, technology, banking, energy and of course, tourism. We look forward to welcoming the meetings and convention leaders from around the world to Pittsburgh.”

In 2020, the Moscone Center in San Francisco will host Convening Leaders.

Known for its life-changing technology, trendsetting cuisine and famous postcard views, San Francisco is a colorful, seven-by-seven-mile metropolis of distinctive and culturally diverse neighborhoods, from the Mission District to the Presidio and Golden Gate Park.

Just blocks from Union Square, the Moscone Center is within walking distance to myriad hotels, restaurants, museums, attractions and public transit, and in 2020, the center will showcase its recent expansion of more than 170,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a 50,000-square-foot ballroom.

“There will be so much new to experience in 2020, we can’t wait to welcome Convening Leaders to San Francisco,” said Joe D’Alessandro, president and CEO of San Francisco Travel. 

He continued, “The elegant design of the Moscone Center expansion and the Chase Center, home to the NBA Champions Golden State Warriors, will take people’s breath away. Attendees will see changes in the neighborhood, including the new Central Subway, the Mexican Museum and the Salesforce Transit Center and we’ll have new hotels, many with trendy rooftop venues.” 

Convening Leaders 2018 is set for Jan. 7-10 at the Music City Center in Nashville. Registration opens in late August at conveningleaders.org.