CIC Announces the Recipients of the Top #CMP30 Influencer Awards

The Convention Industry Council (CIC) is proud to announce the recipients of its first peer-nominated influencers campaign, launched in honor of the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Program’s 30th anniversary. #CMP30 Influencers are CMPs who have made a substantial impact on their colleagues and communities and whose contributions have left an indelible mark on the global meetings and events industry. These 30 individuals exemplify the spirit of the CMP credential – professionalism, credibility and excellence – and CIC is proud to recognize these representatives of the program.

"As CMP turns 30, the Influencers program has been a wonderful way to celebrate those industry leaders who have made a difference over the past three decades," said Karen Kotowski, CAE, CMP, CEO of the Convention Industry Council. "The response has been overwhelmingly positive as colleagues nominated their peers and mentors, reflecting on those who made a lasting impact on their careers. These CMP Influencers are exemplary models of what the CIC stands for – fiercely committed to the advancement of the meetings profession."

Driven primarily by social media, #CMP30 launched in April of this year, as industry professionals were encouraged to use Facebook and Twitter to nominate a CMP who has influenced them personally and whose work has had an impact on the direction and growth of the profession. More than 75 individual nominations were submitted for deserving CMPs and at the end of the public nomination window, CIC asked industry professionals to vote, among all eligible candidates, for their top #CMP30 Influencer via a Facebook poll.

The final top 30 CMP Influencers were selected by a committee, based on the number of Facebook poll votes, personal influence on peers, and community/leadership presence. The CIC is excited to be able to celebrate this special anniversary while thanking all CMPs globally along with the influencers who have helped make this an iconic and top certification that will continue to grow for many years to come.

The top #CMP30 Influencers are:

Corbin Ball, CMP, CSP, DES, Corbin Ball Associates
Terri Breining, CMP, CMM, Breining Group LLC
Carolyn Browning, CMP, CMM, MEETing Needs, LLC
Dr. Amanda Cecil, PhD, CMP, Indiana University
Eduardo Chaillo, CMP, CMM, CASE, Maritz Travel Company
Tahira Endean, CMP, QuickMobile
Howard Feiertag, CMP, CHSE, CHA, Virginia Tech
Dianna Fuller, CMP, CMM, HelmsBriscoe
Deborah Gardner, CMP, DG International LLC
Karen M. Gonzales, CMP, Destination Marketing Association International
La Tayna Greene, CMP, Purdue University Conference
Tyra W. Hilliard, PhD, JD, CMP, Hilliard Associates
Joanne Joham, CMP, CMM, International Congress and Convention Association
Carol Krugman, Med, CMP, CMM, Metropolitan State University of Denver
Loretta Lowe, CMP, Loretta Lowe, Meeting and Event Management
Dave Lutz, CMP, Velvet Chainsaw Consulting
Mary Jo MacDonald, CMP, Maritz Travel
Mariella McIlwraith, CMP, CMM, MBA, Meeting Change
Lisa J. Mikita, CMP, CAE, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
Kelly Peacy, CAE, CMP, Professional Convention Management Association
David Peckinpaugh, CMP, Maritz Travel Company
Katy Quigley, CMP, Microsoft Corporation
Richard Rheindorf, CMP, Accor Hotels
Adrienne Six, CMP, Visit Orlando
Pat Schaumann, CMP, CSEP, DMCP, HMCC, Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
Christine "Shimo" Shimasaki, CMP, CDME, empowerMINT.com, Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI)
Janet Sperstad, CMP, Madison College
Nick Topitzes, CMP, pc/nametag®, Inc.
Aaron Wolowiec, MSA, CAE, CMP, CTA, Event Garde LLC
Karen Zimmerman, CMP, Maritz Travel

For more information on these honorees, please visit the CIC website: http://www.conventionindustry.org/CalendarEvents/CMPCelebrates30thAnniversary.aspx

The #CMP30 Influencers will be honored at the upcoming CMP Conclave, September 26-28, 2015, in Reno, Nevada. To learn more, visit http://www.conventionindustry.org/CalendarEvents/CMPConclave/Conclave2015.aspx.

The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) is a
program of the Convention Industry Council

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