Rolling Meadows, Illinois – Plumbing Manufacturers International (PMI) will host its 2011 Spring Conference, March 27-30, at the Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans.

PMI is breaking from the usual at its semi-annual conferences by offering dual tracks this year, consisting of marketing and technical meetings. The dual-track schedule is driven by PMI President Jack Krecek, vice president and general manager of the commercial business unit for Elkay Manufacturing Company and the PMI Board of Directors. “This is a significant departure from the traditional conference schedule. We are is very excited about the new course of the meetings,” says Barbara C. Higgens, PMI’s executive director.

Conference topics will include the roll-out of PMI’s new name and look, industry challenges, marketing “green,” legislation, regulation and global benchmarking.

The PMI Spring Conference will kick-off with an opening keynote by James Carville, one of America’s best-known political consultants. Carville, “a.k.a. the Ragin’ Cajun,” has a long list of electoral successes and a knack for steering overlooked campaigns to unexpected landslide victories. Higgens says, “His presentation is sure to fire up attendees and put them in the mindset to tackle the next two and a half days of meetings with gusto!”

Higgens adds, “PMI is pleased to announce that members have the option to participate in a Habitat for Humanity build project on Sat., March 26. This is a first come, first served chance to give back to some of the communities that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina.”

The Hotel Monteleone, the location for the PMI Spring Conference, is located in the heart of the French Quarter. The Monteleone, named by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a Historic Hotel of America, has hosted celebrities and dignitaries from around the world. PMI has secured a group rate of $169 a night.

For more information about PMI’s semi-annual conferences, visit www.pmihome.org or call 847-481-5500.

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