Yes, I am a Disney fan, but this is not about the song or the movie. Last month, my wife and I moved our son into college. This was not as traumatic for me as it was when we moved our daughter into school in Georgia five years ago. That fiasco resulted in me being pulled over by a BIG Georgia State Trooper after we finished and were on our way back to the airport to fly home to Massachusetts. I will not divulge how fast I was going, but he referred to me as a "super speeder." Did I mention that the poor guy had to comfort me because I lost it (lots of Kleenex) when asked why I was going so fast. The truth is I had no idea – I was in a fog. Anyway, I digress.

It is anticipated that by 2020, companies will have as many as five generations working side-by-side in the workplace. While this may seem like a daunting cultural challenge to your business, some advice from a Wall Street Journal leadership guide perhaps puts it best stating, "The key is to be able to effectively address and take advantage of the differences in values and expectations of each generation." In other words, being able to effectively work with the increasingly diverse set of generations could come down to being able to effectively understand the driving factors and the differences amongst them. For event professionals, this underscores the omnipresent challenge of finding employees with the right set of soft skills to work with customers and/or clients and vendors.

You worked hard to become a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP). For those of you whose certification is due to be recertified by December 31, 2017, you can do so now and save money! There’s a growing demand for qualified events professionals. Recertify your CMP today to demonstrate your professional competency and credibility in this thriving industry.

Last year, the Events Industry Council launched the CMP Career Center, designed to help you broaden industry connections, find the job that fits your needs or recruit qualified industry professionals.

Still haven’t registered for CMP Conclave 2017? Check out the latest speaker Q&A and join us November 13-15 at the MGM National Harbor.

As part of the Events Industry Council's APEX initiative on cyber security, we ask that take 7-10 minutes to complete a survey that is designed to help us assess the readiness of our industry to prevent and respond to cyber security threats. By participating in the survey, you are helping set the direction for the work group for the next 12 months. Output is expected to include educational content and planning tools for data security.

Registration is open for the Sustainable Event Professional Certificate Programme, to be held immediately preceding the CMP Conclave. Combining active learning and experiential elements, this programme is designed to enable participants to implement their own sustainable events. Topics will include understanding the business value of sustainability for the events industry; practical solutions for improving your environmental performance in areas such as food & beverage, transportation, and supply chain management; and effective methods for achieving corporate social responsibility goals.

The new event aims to equip meeting planners with tools and strategic know-how on how to think and act sustainably. It will be held back-to-back with the prestigious Sustainable Brands conference. With a comprehensive program, presented and facilitated by leading experts - representing among others the United Nations Development Programme, the Events Industry Council, MCI Group, Unilever Food Solutions, Carlson Rezidor and the Bella Center Hospitality Group, Responsible Business Events will deliver knowledge on how to design sustainable meetings and events.

As more businesses and associations adopt organization-wide sustainability goals, they are looking to events and exhibitions to align with those values. From Millennials seeking more authenticity to companies implementing their own version of the Paris climate change agreement, global trends are reshaping the brand experience. Learn how organizations are developing their brand with a purpose that is relevant and resilient enough for the fast, transparent world we live in today. Explore how these changes have begun to impact events and exhibitions. Gain insights into how event professionals can prepare for a more sustainable future and grow their business with purpose.

Stop by and see us at Booth G3660 for your chance to win an Amazon Echo! And don't miss the sessions at which we will be presenting:

The fifth class of the Association Forum’s and USAE’s honors program will be feted Dec. 13 at the Ivy Boutique Hotel in Chicago, as well as during Holiday Showcase the following day. Among this distinguished group are four CMPs.

The Events Industry Council recently announced 225 individuals passed the latest Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) examination. This distinguished credential, recognized throughout the events, meetings, conventions, and exhibitions industry, demonstrates an individual's comprehensive knowledge of meeting management as well as a commitment to the profession.

Delegates at the Events Industry Council spring meeting, whose members comprise the CEOs of more than 30 of the leading industry associations, were asked to identify trends shaping our industry. While the specific concerns going forward varied, what ultimately emerged were five key trends that event professionals should watch closely in the year ahead.

Meetings Mean Business (MMB), of which Events Industry Council is a member, is an industry-wide coalition that showcases the undeniable value that business meetings, trade shows, incentive travel, exhibitions, conferences and conventions bring to people, businesses and communities. CMPs are engaged thought leaders who care about the industry. MMB would like you to subscribe to their meetings industry email list. MMB sends quarterly emails with educational updates and advocacy asks related to the meetings and events industry. Click the link below to opt-in to receive quarterly updates from Meetings Mean Business. Contacts in the database are never shared with other coalition members and are managed by Meetings Database Institute, which ensures that the data is collected, consolidated, secured, and managed properly. Collectively, we have a powerful network that can be leveraged on behalf of our industry. Join us in this monumental step forward in advancing the meetings industry.

I look to recruit people with what I believe are strong customer service skills. For entry to mid-level employees, whether a cell phone salesman, retail clerk or front desk clerk/manager, if they can engage and make me buy in then I am interested.

Monica Grinage-Prince, CMP, CMM was recently named Executive Director for the Hines Center in downtown Houston, Texas. Prior to accepting this role, Monica was the Team Lead of Events and Event Program Manager for the International Facility Management Association.

Sharon Headley, CMP has been named the Manager, Events and Education at the Ontario Road Builders’ Association. Previously, Sharon was the Events Specialist at Indspire.