Professionals in the City
Encyclopedia
Professionals in the City (PNC) is the United States' largest socializing and networking organization. It offers professionals in major cities an opportunity to unwind and meet other professionals who share their interests outside of the workplace. PNC is based in Washington, DC, with branches in New York City
, Los Angeles
, Philadelphia, Baltimore
, and Boston
. PNC has more than 200,000 members and hosts more than 1,000 events a year.
Galas at both the French Embassy and the Washington Plaza Hotel on the same night.
On December 31, 2007, Professionals in the City hosted the farewell party for the historic Hotel Washington, Washington, D.C.
's oldest continuously operated hotel, the hotel located across the street from the White House
. With more than 3,000 attendees, this was the largest party in the history of the Hotel Washington. At the same time, Professionals in the City hosted a second Gala at the Embassy of Italy.
In April 2008, Washington City Paper
readers picked Professionals in the City as having Washington, D.C.'s second best website.
In July 2008, Professionals in the City published Washington, DC For Singles.
On March 8, 2009, the Washington Post published a cover story about how more children of immigrants are seeking partners of the same ethnicity, and how Professionals in the City is catering to this societal change by expanding "its repertoire of lectures and wine-tastings over the past year to include 'speed dating' nights for people of Asian, Latino or South Asian descent."
On March 20, 2009, in a feature that also included Oprah Winfrey
and Suze Orman
, ABC News
filmed a Professionals in the City speed dating event to speak with singles about how the declining economy affected singles' dating choices.
In August 2009, Nikkei Trendy in Japan featured Professionals in the City speed dating events as what is currently trendy in the United States.
In October 2010, Washington, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty
officially commended PNC for its surpassing a membership of 200,000 in the Greater Washington, DC metropolitan area and enhancing the quality of life of residents of Washington, DC.
In February 2011, Professionals in the City hosted the nation's first-ever speed dating at an auto show, at which Washington Post columnist Carolyn Hax
provided advice on dating and then the speed daters went from car to car in the General Motors
exhibit at the Washington Auto Show
participating in a different date in each car.
, an attorney
formerly with Covington & Burling
, PNC hosts events showcasing its host cities’ diverse offerings, including their nightlife, arts, cultural and sporting events, and unique neighborhoods.
Many of their events have a matchmaking
focus, such as four-minute speed dating
. Pros in the City also hosts various local dating coach
es who give seminars on general principles of dating and attraction as well as specific topics such as body language.
In July 2009, Professionals in the City released a marketing video featuring its speed dating events, further emphasizing the group's increasing focus on singles.
In addition to the dating seminars, they offer many other self-improvement or educationally geared classes, including Spanish lessons, cooking for one, etc. as well as some that border on the risque such as cardio striptease
and pole dancing.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, Philadelphia, Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, and Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. PNC has more than 200,000 members and hosts more than 1,000 events a year.
Recent accomplishments
On December 31, 2006, the Washington Post published a cover story about Professionals in the City hosting New Year's EveNew Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
Galas at both the French Embassy and the Washington Plaza Hotel on the same night.
On December 31, 2007, Professionals in the City hosted the farewell party for the historic Hotel Washington, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
's oldest continuously operated hotel, the hotel located across the street from the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
. With more than 3,000 attendees, this was the largest party in the history of the Hotel Washington. At the same time, Professionals in the City hosted a second Gala at the Embassy of Italy.
In April 2008, Washington City Paper
Washington City Paper
The Washington City Paper is a U.S. alternative weekly newspaper serving the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.Founded in 1981, and published for its first year under the masthead 1981, taking the City Paper name in volume 2, by Russ Smith, it shared ownership with the Chicago Reader from 1982...
readers picked Professionals in the City as having Washington, D.C.'s second best website.
In July 2008, Professionals in the City published Washington, DC For Singles.
On March 8, 2009, the Washington Post published a cover story about how more children of immigrants are seeking partners of the same ethnicity, and how Professionals in the City is catering to this societal change by expanding "its repertoire of lectures and wine-tastings over the past year to include 'speed dating' nights for people of Asian, Latino or South Asian descent."
On March 20, 2009, in a feature that also included Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
and Suze Orman
Suze Orman
Susan "Suze" Lynn Orman is an American financial advisor, author, motivational speaker, and television host.Orman was born in Chicago and received her B.A. in social work. She worked as a waitress in Berkeley, California before becoming a financial advisor for Merrill Lynch...
, ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
filmed a Professionals in the City speed dating event to speak with singles about how the declining economy affected singles' dating choices.
In August 2009, Nikkei Trendy in Japan featured Professionals in the City speed dating events as what is currently trendy in the United States.
In October 2010, Washington, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty
Adrian Fenty
Adrian Malik Fenty was the sixth, and at age 36, the youngest, mayor of the District of Columbia. He served one term—from 2007 to 2011—losing his bid for reelection at the primary level to Democrat Vincent C. Gray...
officially commended PNC for its surpassing a membership of 200,000 in the Greater Washington, DC metropolitan area and enhancing the quality of life of residents of Washington, DC.
In February 2011, Professionals in the City hosted the nation's first-ever speed dating at an auto show, at which Washington Post columnist Carolyn Hax
Carolyn Hax
Carolyn Hax is a writer and columnist for the Washington Post and the author of the eponymous advice column Carolyn Hax — formerly titled Tell Me About It. The column debuted in 1997 and is published Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday – syndicated in more than 200 newspapers...
provided advice on dating and then the speed daters went from car to car in the General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
exhibit at the Washington Auto Show
Washington Auto Show
The Washington Auto Show is an annual local auto show held in Washington, D.C. at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center between late January and early February. The event has evolved to emphasize and showcase the latest innovations in sustainable automotive technologies...
participating in a different date in each car.
Background and Activities
Founded by Michael KarlanMichael Karlan
Michael Karlan is a party planner and founder and president of Professionals in the City. Professionals in the City is a social and networking group with more than 200,000 members and that hosts more than 1,000 events a year....
, an attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
formerly with Covington & Burling
Covington & Burling
Covington & Burling LLP is an international law firm with offices in Beijing, Brussels, London, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, San Diego, and Washington, DC. The firm advises multinational corporations on significant transactional, litigation, regulatory, and public policy matters...
, PNC hosts events showcasing its host cities’ diverse offerings, including their nightlife, arts, cultural and sporting events, and unique neighborhoods.
Many of their events have a matchmaking
Matchmaking
Matchmaking is any process of matching two people for the purpose of marriage or a sporting contest.-Practice:In some cultures, the role of the matchmaker was and is quite professionalized...
focus, such as four-minute speed dating
Speed dating
Speed dating is a formalized matchmaking process or dating system whose purpose is to encourage people to meet a large number of new people. Its origins are credited to Rabbi Yaacov Deyo of Aish HaTorah, originally as a way to help Jewish singles meet and marry. "SpeedDating", as a single word, is...
. Pros in the City also hosts various local dating coach
Dating coach
Dating coaches offer products and services to improve their clients' love lives.Through discussion, role-playing, behavior modeling, and other forms of direction, a dating coach trains clients to meet and attract romantic partners. As dating coaches are unlicensed, their methods vary widely...
es who give seminars on general principles of dating and attraction as well as specific topics such as body language.
In July 2009, Professionals in the City released a marketing video featuring its speed dating events, further emphasizing the group's increasing focus on singles.
In addition to the dating seminars, they offer many other self-improvement or educationally geared classes, including Spanish lessons, cooking for one, etc. as well as some that border on the risque such as cardio striptease
Striptease
A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner...
and pole dancing.