Every year around this time, I write about the Counselors Academy Spring Conference – a gathering of some of the smartest PR agency leaders you’ll ever meet. It’s happening May 13 to 15 in Lake Las Vegas (where gamblers go to drown their sorrows :)).

We come together to talk and learn about the business of PR – what’s new, what we need to change and where we’re heading. I caught my first glimpse of social media at CA via Giovanni Rogriguez and grasped the importance of billable hours (don’t ask) from Mark McNeely.

And we meet friends. Some of the strongest relationships I’ve forged in my career have been at CA with friendly, open people I know I can rely on for any question.

This year’s conference is being planned by Abbie Fink and her illustrious team who have assembled another first class program of keynotes, workshops and roundtable discussions. (Disclosure: I’m this year’s co-chair.)

Highlights include:

• Mike Michalowicz – keynote by the author of the bestselling The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur
• Jay Baer – author, consultant and blogger extraordinaire with his insightful social state of the union
• Darryl Salerno – English-language guru who puts our grammar to the test. There will be no prisoners.
• Dana Hughens – PRentrepreneur talking about the importance of start-up thinking regardless of how established your business may be
• Pat McNamara – Founder of one of Canada’s leading agencies and the person who told me about CA on her approach to succession planning
• And, Gini Dietrich, Joe Thornley and I will be doing a live, interactive recording of Inside PR – please bring your questions and comments. I’ll bring my sound machine.

Here’s a flip book of the full schedule.

But it’s not all work and no play; there are lots of social activities including cross-table Tweeting (hashtag #CAPRSA), blogging, our opening reception and the Western-themed Roundup at the CA Corral as our final night (yep, cowboy hats and boots).

If you’re an agency leader looking to do one immediate thing to re-energize your firm, I highly recommend Counselors. Hope to see you there.

About Martin Waxman

Martin Waxman, MCM, is a digital communications strategist. He conducts AI research, leads digital and social media training workshops and speaks at events across North America. He's co-founder of two PR agencies, president of a consultancy and has worked in the industry for nearly 30 years. Martin is a LinkedIn Learning instructor, teaches digital strategy and social media at McMaster University, the Schulich School of Business, University of Toronto SCS and Seneca College. He's a member of the Institute for Public Relations Digital Media Research Center and a past-chair of PRSA Counselors Academy. He has a Master of Communications Management (MCM) from McMaster-Syracuse Universities.

• View all posts by Martin Waxman →
• Blog
• Twitter
• Facebook