KCA

What KCA does

KCA, Inc. is a privately held, woman-owned association management company (AMC) and meeting and event management firm headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Founded in 1991, the company operates across six core service lines: association management (administrative, financial, board, and membership support for nonprofit associations and trade organizations), meeting and event management (conferences, trade shows, product launches, retreats), virtual and hybrid event delivery, government and state agency event planning, on-site event staffing, and incentive travel programs. Customer segments include nonprofit associations (healthcare finance, biotechnology, manufacturing, aviation, sports medicine), corporate clients, and government entities, with the State of Arizona procurement channel established since 2018.

The firm is services-based and does not operate proprietary technology platforms; execution depends on operational expertise, project management discipline, and credentialed staff, including Certified Association Executives (CAE), a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), and certified Cvent users. The technology layer is composed of third-party event management software (Cvent) and standard virtual meeting platforms used for content streaming, registration, and engagement.

KCA generates revenue through managed services agreements (ongoing AMC contracts, structured as monthly or annual engagements) and professional services (event projects scoped via RFP, plus on-site staffing and incentive travel). Pricing is fully custom and not publicly disclosed; multi-year contracts are common for association management while events are billed on a project basis. The go-to-market motion is consultative and sales-led, relying on referrals, ASAE network relationships, an RFP submission channel on the company website, and government procurement approvals rather than inbound marketing or paid digital acquisition. The company employs approximately 18 staff across operations, finance, and coordination functions, is led by President and Owner Cathy Herring (CAE), and reports no external investors or funding rounds.

Name

KCA

Legal name

KCA, Inc.

Website

https://kc-a.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

KCA, Inc. is a Phoenix-based, woman-owned association management company and meeting and event management firm serving nonprofit associations, corporate clients, and government entities with AMC services, conferences, virtual events, and on-site staffing since 1991.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Association Management Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Onsite Operations & Event Staffing Management (THAHACAL), Registration, Housing & Travel Desk Services (Delegate Logistics) (THAHACAJ), Meeting & Conference Planning & Coordination (HSACADAA), Sponsorship, Exhibitor & Partnership Management Services (THAHACAK)

Keywords

• Association management services
• Meeting event planning
• Virtual event management
• Incentive travel programs
• Government event services

Headquarters

HQ city

Chandler

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Association Management Services: Ongoing management services for nonprofit associations and trade organizations, providing administrative, financial, meeting/conference, membership, and executive management support. Revenue generated through contractual arrangements typically structured as monthly or annual service agreements.
2. Meeting & Event Management: Planning and execution of corporate events, conferences, tradeshows, product launches, company retreats, and government/state agency events. Project-based engagements with pricing determined through RFP process based on scope, scale, and service requirements.
3. Virtual Events & Hybrid Solutions: Virtual and hybrid event packages including platform management, content strategy, livestreaming, webinars, on-demand content, and engagement features. Can be standalone services or bundled with in-person event management.
4. Incentive Travel Programs: Design, management, and execution of incentive travel programs including destination management, program administration, vendor negotiations, and staffing for corporate incentive trips.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KCA is a full-service association management company (AMC) and meeting & event management firm headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company delivers outsourced operations, membership administration, and event planning services to nonprofit associations, corporate clients, and government/state agencies. Its event portfolio spans in-person meetings, virtual events, hybrid gatherings, on-site event management, incentive travel, lobby days, and swag management.

Product overview

KCA is a full-service association management company (AMC) and meeting & event management firm offering six core service offerings. The portfolio includes Association Management (providing administrative, financial, membership, and executive support for nonprofits), Meeting & Event Management (end-to-end corporate event execution), Virtual Events (digital and hybrid event solutions), Government and State Agency Events (Arizona state-approved government event planning), On-Site Event Management and Staffing (professional staffing for event operations), and Incentive Travel (corporate incentive and destination management). These services work together as an integrated suite, with association management serving as the foundational offering supplemented by event management capabilities, while virtual and incentive travel services extend reach for both association and corporate clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Association Management Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Clients realize more than fifteen percent in budget savings through disciplined negotiations and meaningful value added services

Named customers7 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Maritz Global Events: Maritz Global Events is a large-scale meetings, incentives, conferences, and events (MICE) provider serving corporate clients. Comparable in meeting/event management and incentive travel service lines, though at much larger scale and more corporate-focused than KCA.
• MCI Group: MCI Group is a global events, meetings, and association management company serving associations and corporations worldwide. Comparable across association management and event planning verticals, though at significantly larger scale and global footprint than KCA.
• SmithBucklin: SmithBucklin is the largest association management company (AMC) in the U.S., serving hundreds of associations across every industry vertical. It is a directly comparable peer in KCA's core association management business but operates at vastly greater scale and geographic breadth.
• HelmsBriscoe: HelmsBriscoe is one of the largest meeting sourcing and site selection companies globally, serving corporate, association, and government clients. Comparable in the meeting planning and venue sourcing space, though HelmsBriscoe's model is more focused on hotel/site negotiation.

Direct peers

• ConferenceDirect: ConferenceDirect provides full-service meeting planning, site selection, and event management for associations and corporations. Direct competitor in KCA's meeting & event management service line with similar mid-market customer profile.
• Association Headquarters, Inc. (AHI): AHI is a full-service association management company offering AMC services, meeting planning, and convention management to member organizations. It is one of the closest direct peers to KCA in terms of service mix and target customer (nonprofit trade and professional associations).
• Virtual, Inc. Virtual, Inc. is an AMC specializing in managing technology and standards-related associations, providing association management, meeting planning, and event services. Like KCA, it focuses on full-service AMC work for niche nonprofit organizations.
• Meeting Expectations: Meeting Expectations is a full-service meeting and event management company focused on association and corporate clients. Provides direct overlap with KCA's meeting/event management and AMC services for trade and professional associations.
• Kellen Company: Kellen Company is an AMC serving trade associations and professional societies across multiple industries with association management, meeting/event services, and government relations. Direct peer to KCA's nonprofit association management focus with comparable mid-size scope.

Others

• AMC Institute: AMC Institute is the trade association representing association management companies — including KCA as a member. Not a direct competitor but a relevant ecosystem participant that sets industry standards and connects KCA with peer AMCs and prospective clients.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/KatherineChristensenAssociates

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KCA