The American Management Association (AMA) has offered management education and professional development programs in Atlanta since 1979. To better serve clients, the AMA recently renovated its 23,000-square-foot Executive Conference Center in The Proscenium building at Peachtree and 14th streets.
“We’ve invested a lot of time, money and energy into upgrading our facility because when we run our seminars, we want to worry about content, not audio/visual technology or whether or not our guests are comfortable,” said Shawn Brown, operations manager for the AMA Executive Conference Center.
The renovations include two new 93-inch media walls that will be used to publicize local attractions to AMA visitors. It also boasts new projection equipment, a Bose sound system, Wi-Fi interconnectivity and new flooring, carpeting and ceramic tile. The space has 10 meeting rooms and three break-out rooms with state-of-the-art, touch-screen technology.
“The environment is a lot more open, brighter and friendlier and will allow our out-of-town guests to feel at home. They can learn and network with one another without a lot of distractions,” Brown said.
Last year, the AMA in Atlanta presented more than 200 public seminars. More than 2,100 professionals from 50 states and 20 countries attended. Due to the renovation, the center plans to increase its seminar schedule by 20 percent this year.
“The AMA sponsors more than 140 different programs that provide all levels of workers — from senior executives to rising managers — with the skills they need to develop in their jobs,” Brown said. “Some of our most popular topics today are how to improve your analytical skills and project management.”
The seminars and courses, some of which are delivered online or broadcast on iPods, include a full range of business education and management development for individuals and organizations. The subjects cover finance, human resources, communication, IT, sales, marketing, strategic leadership, and office and administrative services.
“The advantage of our courses, compared to other continuing education offered by an institution, is our international faculty,” Brown said. “We have centers throughout the world, and our global faculty has a wealth of information and experience to share with business people.”
The average cost of a seminar ranges from $1,500 to $2,400, but executives (or their companies) can purchase an annual pass for $3,995, which gives unlimited access to most classroom seminars and three live online seminars. The premium pass ($4,995) includes access to all AMA classroom seminars and three online seminars offered during a year.
“Training is often the last thing to come back after a recession, but there are always needs to train new managers, and many companies understand the importance of bringing their talent up to speed,” he said. “We know that when a company develops its individuals, the entire organization blossoms. It’s like watering the roots.”
To learn more about AMA education, call 877-566-9441 or go to www.amanet.org.
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