Dear CMP Community,

I write this last message of the year from my return flight from one of my favorite cities — Barcelona. It’s always magical, but especially so at this time of year. We hosted our last in-person Board and Council session for the year and participated in IBTM World along with many of our members including our booth partners IAEE, MPI and SITE.

It’s been quite a year on many fronts. As we enter the holiday season, we typically take inventory of our accomplishments and perhaps our setbacks. This is a good time for a healthy dose of reflection along with gratitude. This can also be a time of year when we can feel a bit unanchored especially when we look around us, feel and listen to the tremendous struggles people are facing amidst the uncertainty we face in the world. We continue to go about our work, striving to adapt to many new realities. We hope that we are doing work that is relevant, impactful, purposeful and a reflection of our values.

It is in large part through the strength and passion of our volunteer leaders that EIC has been able to positively impact our industry and most importantly, the lives of our workforce and the communities we collectively serve. To be a part of this journey after more than 30 years in this industry is truly a gift. Gratitude is a powerful thing. So, indulge me while I thank the many people throughout our industry who give so much to EIC and our community.

First, I want to thank our Board of Directors. A very special thank you to our EIC Board Chair Sherrif Karamat, CAE; Immediate Past Chair Cathy Breden CMP Fellow, CAE, CEM; Chair Elect for 2024 Ana Maria Viscasillas, MBA, CDME, DES, CED; Jason Dunn Sr., Senthil Gopinath; Jennifer Glynn, CES; Stephanie Harris; Brad Mayne, CVE, and Tina Wehmeir, CMP, CAE.

To our EIC Council, we have grown to more than 55 members, including our new corporate membership and strategic partners. We have done so much important work this year embracing the mission of EIC and advancing the industry through advocacy, professional standards, recognition, and research.

To our CMP Commission and community: Chair Tim Glanzer, CMP Fellow; Chair-Elect Cornelia Horner, CMP Fellow and Immediate Past Chair Steven Lorenz, CMP Fellow, HMCC, you continue to inspire our industry through your commitment to professionalism, collaboration, learning and leading. We are all better for your steadfast commitment to this industry and one another. I look forward to continuing the work we are doing together on the Competency Profile Project and hope to see many of you again during CMP Advance (formerly CMP Conclave), 11-13 March 2024 in Toronto, Canada.

To our incredible volunteer leaders including our committee chairs: APEX Commission Chair Eduardo Chaillo CMP, CMM, CASE, DES, CITP; APEX Critical Issues Chair Mike Dominguez;  Equity Task Force Chair Jason Dunn Sr.; Knowledge Committee Chair Stephanie Jones, CAE, CMP, DES; Sustainability and Social Impact Committee Chair Meghan Green, I am beyond grateful for the work you do as an extension of our team to ensure it is a global collaboration. Our shared vision for our sector and its impact will serve as a catalyst for positive change. A special thank you to Adam Sacks and Aran Ryan at Oxford Economics and Melissa Cherry at Miles Partnership for all you did to ensure the launch of our Economic Significance Study, and we are honoured to continue to partner with you on the Global Barometer.

To all those who dedicated their time energy and heart to the EIC sustainability journey, we are so proud of your accomplishments. With COP 28 underway, the news is filled with important progress reports and future commitments to address the world's most pressing and urgent climate crises. I'm incredibly proud of the strides made by our EIC Centre for Sustainability and Social Impact and our global community to help address this critical issue that affects us all. We are now close to 1,000 professionals receiving their Sustainable Event Professional Certificate. To those venues, destinations, events and organisations that have taken the time to collaborate with your communities to advance their ESG goals, those that have achieved certification and those that have committed to the sustainability journey through meaningful actions, we applaud you and hold your effort up to all those who are considering following in your footsteps. 

A very special thank you to:

• Feleban
• Global Experience Specialists (GES)
• Greenbuild International
• IAEE
• IAVM
• Maritz Global Events
• Marriott Hotels
• Marina Bay Sands, Singapore
• McCormick Place Chicago
• Miami Convention Center
• Minneapolis Convention Center
• Palais des Congress Montreal
• PCMA
• Pennsylvania Convention Center
• Resorts World Sentosa
• Saint Paul River Center / Xcel Energy Center
• Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau
• Tourisme Montreal
• Visit Denver

There is so much to be thankful for and so much to look forward to as we set our sights on the work we will do together in 2024. The world we live in will continue to present us with challenges, but I hope you will have the time over the next month to reflect on all that is good in our world and will take comfort in all that we provide one another when we engage, collaborate, listen, and by asking more generous questions. These practices are at the core of who we are and what makes our industry, our people and the work we do together so unique and important.