Local musician Shakey Graves (in cowboy hat) and his band warmed up the crowd on the opening morning of the annual conference.

Unannounced guest speaker Matthew McConaughey is justly proud of his hometown. He began and ended his speech by saying, “I’m Matthew McConaughey. I can live anywhere I want. I live in Austin.”

PCMA President and CEO Deborah Sexton, FASAE, getting a warm welcome from Austin’s hometown boy, actor Matthew McConaughey.

PCMA President and CEO Deborah Sexton, FASAE, talked about embracing change in 2017, and how Matthew McConaughey is a hard act to follow onstage.

Rachel Botsman, author and visiting academic at the University of Oxford, spoke on collaboration and the meaning of trust in the digital age. Uber, AirBnB, and Bla Bla Car may use different technologies, but they all take advantage of a shift in the way we trust.

During the PCMA press conference, Deborah Sexton, FASAE, PCMA president and CEO (left); William Reed, FASAE, CMP, PCMA outgoing chair; and PCMA incoming chair Mary Pat Heftman share news about new international regional advisory boards, the launch of the GivingGood.com community outreach portal, and the release of the 2016 Education Foundation Impact Report.

Speaker Dan Goods is a visual strategist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and in his spare time he collaborates on public art projects that combine theater and science. At PCMA’s networking lunch on Tuesday, Goods talked about creating experiences that make people reconnect with the awe and magic they felt as a child. 

Former secret service agent Mark Lowery and senior events manager and strategic planning expert Ami Mayfield walked attendees through steps to take to help protect attendees in the session “Are You Prepared for an Active Shooter Situation?”

In his main stage talk, “The Third Revolution—Powering a Greener, More Just Global Economy,” American economist and social theorist Jeremy Rifkin advised conference goers on smart businesses and employment opportunities in the digital economy.

Tina Wehmeir, CMP, CAE, and Bill Davidson, great grandson of Harley-Davidson co-founder William A. Davidson, arrive in style on an H-D FLHX Street Glide motorbike. VISIT Milwaukee raffled off the bike in support of the PCMA Education Foundation, ultimately raising more than $40,000.

Valerie Sumner of VRS Meetings and Events, Inc., Falls Church, Va., finds out she has won the Harley-Davidson.

Willie Nelson headlined AustiNite, the closing-night reception held at the ultra-hip Austin American Statesman, a converted warehouse by the river with indoor and outdoor spaces and a view of Austin’s skyline.