DALLAS, TX and ALEXANDRIA, VA, December 18, 2013 — The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and Meeting Professionals International (MPI) announced today that they have joined forces to create the new CMM Designation Program, the business standard of excellence for meeting and travel professionals. The program, which is the first and only collaborative designation for meeting and travel professionals, features an intensive business management study program led by highly esteemed university professors from renowned business schools.

Together, GBTA and MPI designed the CMM Designation Program to help meeting and travel professionals strengthen their business acumen and advance their careers. Participants will learn critical business skills, such as risk mitigation, business analytics and compliance, strategic negotiation and more. The program is an evolution of the prestigious Certificate in Meeting Management program created by MPI in the mid-1990s and pays homage to the highly regarded CMM designation.

"We are pleased to offer the new CMM Designation Program in partnership with GBTA to meeting and travel professionals around the world," said Paul Van Deventer, president and CEO of MPI. "Over the past year, MPI has been transforming in order to better serve our members and part of this transformation involved taking the Certificate in Meeting Management program to the next level. CMM has been a revered designation within the meeting and event industry for some time, and we believe the value CMM has established will translate well within the travel industry and as a standalone trademark."

The development of the new CMM Designation Program originated when GBTA and MPI formed a limited liability company (LLC) and developed an executive steering committee tasked with creating the leading global business management education program for the meeting and travel industries.

"GBTA is pleased to join forces with MPI to offer this new program that will quickly become the business standard of excellence for both meeting and travel professionals," said Michael W. McCormick, executive director and COO of GBTA. "The new CMM Designation Program with MPI will offer our collective members the opportunity to learn new skills and grow their careers."

Path to Designation

To achieve the new designation, participants must complete three distinct phases. Phase 1 includes 3.5 days of rigorous onsite business education sessions administered by university professors. It also requires participation in two self-led webinars.

During phase 2 of the program, participants must attend a one-day boot camp at which they will partake in either meeting- or travel-focused sessions taught by industry-leading subject matter experts. The boot camps will initially be offered annually during both GBTA and MPI conventions. The third phase involves the development of an independent work-based project. Thereafter, program participants are granted the CMM designation.

While continuing education credits are not required to maintain the designation, existing and new CMM holders are encouraged to attend CMM conclaves hosted by both GBTA and MPI annually starting in 2014. At the conclaves, new CMM holders join the outstanding community of CMM leaders to refresh their business skills, network and become part of the CMM legacy.

With the launch of this new program, all current CMM designations will continue to be supported by MPI and now by GBTA as well. As such, professionals that achieved the former Certificate in Meeting Management designation will retain the CMM designation.

"Our combined vision was to evolve CMM to mean more than a certificate for meeting professionals, so it is no longer defined as an acronym. CMM is now a designation for distinguished meeting and travel professionals with business excellence," explains Van Deventer.

GBTA and MPI will publish detailed program information and the full schedule of offerings in January 2014. In the meantime, visit www.mpiweb.org/CMM to learn more or to register interest.

Frequently Asked Questions

 1. What is the new CMM Designation Program?

Developed jointly by GBTA and MPI, the CMM Designation Program is a three-phased, comprehensive business education program designed for meeting and travel professionals and includes an intensive business management core program led by highly esteemed university professors from renowned business schools.

The program is an evolution of the prestigious Certificate in Meeting Management program created by MPI in the mid-1990s and pays homage to the highly regarded CMM designation.

2. What does CMM stand for? Does CMM still stand for Certificate in Meeting Management?

CMM is not an acronym, but rather a standalone trademark that represents the premier designation for distinguished meeting and travel professionals with business excellence.

CMM is the business standard of excellence for meeting and travel professionals. Offered jointly by GBTA and MPI, it is the first and only collaborative designation for meeting and travel professionals.

3. What is the process for obtaining the new CMM designation?

Professionals must complete three distinct phases of the program to achieve the new CMM designation.

Phase 1 – Participate in 3.5 days of rigorous onsite business education sessions administered by university professors. It also requires participation in two self-led webinars.

Phase 2 – Attend a one-day boot camp with either meeting- or travel-focused sessions taught by industry-leading subject matter experts. The boot camps will initially be offered annually during both GBTA and MPI conferences.

Phase 3 – Develop an independent work-based project.

Thereafter, program participants are granted the CMM designation from both GBTA and MPI.

 4. How does the new CMM Designation Program differ from the Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM) Program?

Certificate in Meeting Management Program	CMM Designation Program
? Offered by MPI.   ? Designed for meeting professionals only.   ? Application with criteria for acceptance.   ? Participation in 5.5 day onsite education program focused on meeting management.   ? Must receive passing scores on both an online essay examination and a newly created business plan.	? Offered jointly by GBTA and MPI.   ? Designed for both meeting and travel professionals.   ? No application; participants self-select based on suggested target audience.   ? Participation in 3.5 day onsite business education program, webinars and a one-day meeting- or travel-focused boot camp.   ? Must develop an independent work-based project.

 

5. Will MPI continue to offer the Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM) Program?

No. The Certificate in Meeting Management program has evolved into the new CMM Designation Program.

6. How is the new CMM Designation Program different from GBTA’s Global Leadership    Professional (GLP) Program?

The GLP and CMM are both designations that experienced professionals can earn to demonstrate their expertise and show their dedication to continued professional development. These two designations do differ, however, and it’s important to select the one that meets your needs.

The CMM program will teach you how to perform managerial functions, such as process improvement, data forecasting and accounting. Skills will be taught as they relate specifically to the business travel and meetings industries. In the final stage of the program, you will address a specific challenge that you face in your current role as an opportunity for hands-on learning. The CMM program is most appropriate for those who want to learn specific ways to lead effectively in the travel and meetings industries.

The GLP program will allow you to lead strategically by helping you hone your performance of managerial functions to improve as a leader. The skills that it imparts prepare you for executive-level career advancement in any industry. The GLP program is appropriate for individuals who would like tolearn broader strategies that are necessary for executive level career advancement in any area of business.

As part of the joint effort, GBTA has made the GLP Program available to all MPI members at a discounted rate.

7. What will participants get out of the new CMM Designation Program?

Participants will learn critical business skills such as risk mitigation, business analytics and compliance, strategic negotiation and more. During the program, participants will:

? Develop a data analytic strategy to measure and report on the business performance of your meeting or meetings portfolio.

? Explore communication strategies to better explain to stakeholders the value of aligning business goals and meeting(s) objectives.

? Gain exposure to financial statements and how business transactions affect organizational decision-making.

? Discuss the basics of building a budget, then analyze the difference between actual results and budgeted performance.

? Identify how to apply best practices to mitigate risk and limit liability through legal or contractual avenues.

? Apply a deeper understanding of strategic negotiation and sourcing to influence outcomes and impact the cost, quality, and performance of your meeting(s).

? Explore new models for optimizing process improvement and policy/regulatory compliance.

? Gain insight into personal management styles and the skills necessary to be successful when managing teams, suppliers and outsourced services.

? Demonstrate leadership in change management through creation and analysis of a work-based case project.

 8. What are the benefits of participating in the new CMM Designation Program?

GBTA and MPI designed the CMM Designation Program to help meeting and travel professionals strengthen their business acumen and advance their careers. Accordingly, both GBTA and MPI will also host CMM Conclaves annually starting in 2014 for existing and new CMM holders. At the conclaves, new CMM holders join the outstanding community of CMM leaders to refresh their business skills, network and become part of the CMM legacy.

9. How does the new CMM Designation Program affect current CMM holders? What happens to the CMM designations obtained in 2013 and earlier?

All current CMM designations will continue to be supported by MPI and now by GBTA as well. Therefore, professionals that achieved the former Certificate in Meeting Management designation will retain the CMM designation.

 10. Why are GBTA and MPI partnering on this program?

GBTA and MPI joined forces in October 2012 with the goal of creating the leading global business education program for the meeting and travel industries. Thereafter, the two associations formed a limited liability company (LLC) and developed an executive steering committee for this program. In addition, a GBTA/MPI Joint Education Advisory Committee was formed to recommend models and content for this program.

11. Why did GBTA choose to work with MPI over other associations or organizations?

This is the first and only broad association partnership that GBTA has entered into since forming the GBTA Academy. GBTA believes MPI is the right partner to reach the meeting industry and marketplace.

12. Why did MPI choose to work with GBTA over other associations or organizations?

MPI believes GBTA represents the best partner for bringing together the meeting and travel industries, and that the GBTA Academy is well-suited to co-manage the program with MPI.

13. Where can I find more information? When is the first program scheduled?

GBTA and MPI will publish detailed program information and the first joint offering in January 2014. In the meantime, visit www.mpiweb.org/CMM to learn more or to register interest.

14. What are the criteria for participating in the new CMM Designation Program?

The new CMM Designation Program does not have an application process with outlined criteria. The program has been designed so that interested participants may self-determine whether to participate based on the program overview and suggested target audience.

15. What will it cost to participate in the new CMM Designation Program? Are there any sponsors?

GBTA and MPI will publish detailed program information including pricing and sponsorship details in January 2014 at www.mpiweb.org/CMM.

16. Who may I contact for questions about the new CMM Designation Program?

We encourage you to visitwww.mpiweb.org/CMM to learn more. If you have additional questions, please contact Christine Perry at MPI at cmm@mpiweb.org or Matt Konetschni at GBTA at mkonetschni@gbta.org.

 About GBTA

The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world’s premier business travel and meetings organization. Collectively, GBTA’s 6,000-plus members manage over $340 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA provides its network of 21,000 business and government travel and meetings managers, as well as travel service providers, with networking events, news, education and professional development, research, and advocacy. For more information, visit gbta.org.

About MPI

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is the largest and most vibrant global meeting and event industry association. The organization helps its members thrive by building human connections through knowledge and ideas, relationships and marketplaces. MPI membership is comprised of approximately 20,000 members belonging to 71 chapters and clubs worldwide. For additional information or to join, visitwww.mpiweb.org.

CONTACTS:

Sonya Thorpe, (972) 702-3098, sthorpe@mpiweb.org
Colleen Lerro, (703) 236-1133, clerro@gbta.org 
Kellie Gleason, (212) 446-1869,kgleason@sloanepr.com