Syndication 
Cancellation fees and event security were hot topics on PCMA Catalyst this summer.
PCMA’s Catalyst community offers members a platform to ask each other questions, share ideas, or, as the website says, “communicate and collaborate.” Here’s a sampling from a recent Catalyst discussion.
Cancellation Policies
“We are considering implementing a cancellation fee. It would be nominal ($25) but enough to cover our administrative costs (credit card fees, registration platform). We are also considering changing the timeframe that someone can get a refund if they cancel,” posted Patti Beese, director of event services, National Restaurant Association. “Anyone willing to share their policy with me?” she asked of the Catalyst community.
“Below was ours for our April 22-24, 2025 convention. We charged a flat $8 ‘convenience’ (credit card) fee on all registration payments.
‘Requests for refunds must be submitted in writing on or before March 12, 2025 to xxx@xxx.com. All refunds will be subject to a $50 cancellation fee. The convenience fee is non-refundable. Substitution of registration is permitted without penalty. After March 12, 2025, all registration fees are non-refundable.’”
– Angie Silberhorn, Events Director, Water Quality Association
“Here is the framework for our general cancellation policy:
Up to 8 weeks before Day 1 — 20-percent cancellation fee
Between 8-4 weeks before Day 1 — 50-percent cancellation fee
Requests after 4 weeks to Day 1 — no refund unless meets specific travel/medical restrictions. We request documentation for medical requests.
We allow substitutions with a $100 administration fee.”
– Carrie Renuart, CMP, Director Conferences & Events, ARMA International
Rethinking Event Security
“Our organization is currently evaluating security needs for conferences/meetings. I am curious what other organizations/industries are doing at their events with security personnel outside of the traditional exhibit hall and overnight needs,” Megan Lanning, CMP, DES, director, meetings and events, Society of Actuaries, posted on Catalyst.
“Our organization has an extensive program surrounding security and risk assessment for our 250-plus events globally. We have a security director whose role is to assess and advise on all our events and he works directly with our event teams.”
– Cathy M. Mason, CMP, DES, event director, Young President’s Organization
“I have been thinking about security and safety assessments and implementation for our events because I believe this is a non-negotiable aspect that should be included in all events. We’re a small NPO with about 15-20 small (100 or fewer) client-facing events a year. For us, the best course of action might be hiring a consultant to review programming and site plan, etc.”
– Jaclyn Lau, manager of experiential events and engagement, Center for Care Innovations
Using a Points System to Encourage Booking Within the Block
“I’m currently reviewing the terms and conditions of our exhibit contract. Currently, we include a vague statement that priority points may be deducted for certain violations; however, we don’t have a formal system or process in place to enforce this,” Heather Cooney, CMP, CEM, director of exhibits & sponsorship, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, wrote on Catalyst. “I’m curious — do you have a structured penalty policy that includes deducting priority points for exhibitor rule violations or for reducing/canceling hotel room blocks? If so, how is your penalty system structured? In particular, I’d love to hear how you handle exhibitor hotel room block reductions — do you have a specific formula or criteria for calculating priority point deductions in those cases?”
“I want to endorse your effort to implement some written, structured policy on exhibitor obligations. In my experience, exhibitors push back and complain when penalties seem to be arbitrary, and not according to a firm policy. The same for any other person or entity that is penalized for non-compliance. Clear guidelines are the way to go.”
– Joshua Grimes, J.D., Grimes Law Offices, LLC
“I used to support sales operations for sponsorship and exhibits at my former company. I would first do a thorough review of your rules and regulations to make sure they still reflect your needs and the language is appropriate. Then, determine which violations have the most negative impact on your program or other sponsors/exhibitors. From there, spell out what penalties will be (or may be) imposed for infractions.”
– Therese Jardine, DES, CEO of Strategic Event Procurement
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