A Letter from the Chair, Matt DiSalvo, CMP

I hope you are all enjoying your winter. Of course, for some of us it really is winter and, for some of you, it just means you must put on a long-sleeved shirt. Did you know that as of February 1, 2017, the CMP International Standards have been updated? While the content changes were minimal, all CMPs should be familiar with these updates, whether you are recertifying or planning to take the exam. These standards are used in determining if education is accepted and determines content of the exam. What I have noted below is right off the CIC website; you can download the complete CMP International Standards from there as well.

There were minimal content changes to the standards. Many of the changes were to eliminate skills or sub skills that appeared in more than one domain, an issue that became clear when many CMPs or candidates attempted to align their continuing education credits with the CMP domains.

All "Common Knowledge" statements were removed. The previous version of the CMP-IS was developed to reflect consistency with other industry competency models, MPI’s MBEKS and Canadian Human Resources Council Competency Standards. The common knowledge statements are not tested in the CMP exam and caused confusion for many candidates, so we removed them.
The Professionalism Domain (J) was removed because those knowledge statements are included in the CMP code of ethics that every CMP and CMP candidate now must acknowledge and agree to on their application.
Some terminology changed slightly: "Ability (Know How to)" changed to "Skills" and "Sub Skills."
Some language was modified to be more concise but did not change the overall skill or sub skill.

On an unrelated subject, but in my humble opinion directly related to the value and relevance of the CMP: I changed employers this week after being with one organization for more than 20 years. It is always flattering to be approached and courted by an organization or anyone for that matter, especially when you’re a chubby, bald, middle-aged Italian guy.

That said, during our discussions, I simply asked why they were interested in me. Their response was that among many other things, my commitment to being a lifelong learner, having the CMP designation and what it stands for, as well as industry involvement were definite attributes. Being a supplier, having the CMP is not always held in reverence, but these folks see it as an asset and I value that.

My point is that the CMP is valuable, relevant and has rigor. We should never underestimate its brand message as the badge of excellence in our industry. We must continue to work together to increase the professionalism of meeting, convention, exhibition and event professionals both domestically and internationally.