Meet the new CMP Governance Commission Chair, Erin Tench, CMP, CMM I am honored to serve as the 2018 CMP Governance Commission Chair. The commission is a standing committee of the Events Industry Council that is responsible for representing the needs of current and future certified meeting professionals in all sectors of the meeting profession. This helps to ensure the CMP program’s policies are developed and maintained using best practices in professional certifications, and that the CMP program is psychometrically sound and legally defensible. In short, we are a committee that represents you and will steward the CMP certification into the future.

What is the true value of holding your CMP — and perhaps more importantly, how do you best communicate that to colleagues and executives? This is a challenge that some members cited during a recent survey conducted by the Events Industry Council following the recent Conclave 2017. Looking for some advice, we asked three members, each of whom has held their CMP for different lengths of time, the various ways in which they communicate the value — and how to best position yourself for future success.

Feb 27, 2018 11:00 AM EST Celebrated each year on April 22nd, Earth Day is the perfect time of year to engage and inspire participants, guests, employees and stakeholders and beyond on sustainability. In this webinar, we'll share case studies on how organizations in the events industry have celebrated Earth Day and will provide ideas for programs that can also help to educate, gather feedback and reinforce lasting sustainable behavior. With the 2018 Earth Day theme being "End Plastic Pollution" we'll include a focus on how you can reduce single-use plastics in your events and organizations not only on April 22, but year-round. Panelists will discuss ideas for campaigns, challenges, contests and incentives that both build awareness around issues of sustainability and support the community. Join the EIC Sustainability Committee Chair, Lindsay Arell, and a group of events industry leaders on this engaging and educational webinar, and get a jump start on planning your organization’s Earth Day celebration. Learning outcomes: 1) Hear events industry case studies on Earth Day programs 2) Learn how to design an Earth Day campaign for your organisation or events that inspire participants, guests, employees and stakeholders on sustainability 3) In support of this year's Earth Day campaign to end plastic pollution, learn about practical alternatives to help you to reduce or eliminate the use of single use plastics in your events, venues and organizations. Speakers: Lindsay Arell, Chair, Events Industry Council Sustainability Committee Tiffany Eck, CMP, Associate Director, Convention Services, VISIT DENVER

Lachelle J. Harrison, MPA, CMP, Events DC convention services manager, was awarded the 2018 Convention Services Manager of the Year during the Event Services Professional Association (ESPA) Annual Conference in Nashville,Tennessee. Harrison was nominated by many customers and meeting planners for this award, and has been involved in more than 350 meetings, conventions, trades shows and events.

Have you ever examined why people show up to your meetings? Les Selby, CMP, CMM, director of Meetings & Events for One10 Canada, recently wrote an article leveraging research on why people attend events. In the Opinion piece, he highlights a 2014 study entitled "Decision to Attend Study for Conventions & Events," and explains how you can make your events attendance more successful.

Director of conventions at the German capital’s tourism board visitBerlin, Heike Mahmoud, is set to lead operations at the CCH – Congress Center Hamburg. As the new CCH chief operating officer (COO), the 53-year-old MBA will join the executive board of Hamburg Messe und Congress GmbH (HMC).

The Hall of Leaders has been a symbol of industry excellence, achievement and inspiration for more than 30 years. A lifetime achievement, the Hall of Leaders Awards recognize those that have helped shaped the events industry and includes 122 pioneers to date. The Pacesetter Awards focus on emerging leaders and supporters in "real-time," helping determine the course of the industry moving forward. Find out how to nominate your peers for these prestigious awards today.

If you've been involved in supporting, creating or managing a sustainable event in 2017, we're inviting you to apply for the 2018 IMEX-EIC Innovation in Sustainability Award. Your application will be judged on innovation in sustainable practices; impact on the environment, community and local economy; and legacy, collaboration and commitment to industry education. Applications are due March 1, 2018.

To recertify your CMP designation, your application must include proof of both EXPERIENCE and EDUCATION. Events Industry Council offers a CMP Recertification Handbook, which contains complete information on documenting your recertification requirements.

The APEX/ASTM Sustainable Event Standards are in the process of being updated, and we are currently looking for volunteers with experience in sustainable events to be a part of the the rewriting committees. Committees are being formed for the following areas: destination, marketing and communications (merging on-site office and communications from 2012 standards), meeting venue, accommodations, transportation / mobility, food and beverage, audio visual and production, exhibitions and planner (new). Please contact Mariela McIlwraith mmcilwraith@eventscouncil.org if you are interested in being involved in one of the committees.

The Events Industry Council is excited to share data from its most recent Economic Significance Study. Get preliminary statistics and learn about the substantial impact that the events industry has on the economy. The final report is expected to be released in February, but more information is available on the Events Industry blog.

SmartAsset assembled some data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey to determine what jobs were more popular among Millennials. Read the key findings to see how events jobs compare to other industries and professions.

How do technology trends influence meeting planners, events and venues around the world? The Meetings Innovation Report examines why electronic request-for-proposal tools haven’t really changed how planners and venues match up with for the right events. Learn more about a variety of ways to make meetings better from the report.

Celebrated each year on April 22, Earth Day is the perfect time of year to engage and inspire participants, guests, employees and stakeholders and beyond on sustainability. In the lead up to Earth Day’s 50th anniversary in 2020, Earth Day Network launched a campaign to End Plastic Pollution. This campaign is timely for several reasons. First, the impact of plastic pollution is significant, for example, scientists estimate that more than 8 million metric tons of plastic is entering our oceans every year. There is also an increased focus on policies to eliminate single-use plastics.

To assist in educating event professionals about cybersecurity risks and practices to reduce risks related to cyber threats, the Events Industry Council is launching a cybersecurity series that will focus on specific vulnerabilities facing our industry, and practices to improve data security. In a 2017 survey of more than 200 event professionals conducted by the Events Industry Council, it was found that while 82.46 percent of respondents feel that a data breach has the potential to adversely affect their organization, only 26.56 percent are aware of having an information security policy that provides for events.

Sheena Kennedy, CMP, was promoted to director of events and operations at Conference Event Management in West Des Moines, Iowa. Sheena oversees Conference Event Management’s worldwide event design by carefully weaving creative application and communication into large-scale events and resolving concerns or unpredictable changes in any occasion. She has more than10 years of meeting and event experience, including eight years in association meeting and event planning. Jacqueline Volkart, CMP, has been appointed general manager at the St. Regis San Francisco. Prior to joining The St. Regis San Francisco, Ms. Volkart served as general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Jennifer Erney, CMP, has been appointed regional vice president at Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) in Washington, D.C. Prior to her promotion, Erney served as ALHI’s Vice President of Sales for the Mid-Atlantic region.