We often discuss elevating our voices at the C-suite and lending our professional expertise and strategic knowledge for the betterment of business. It is important to elevate our voices through contributions to our profession. Do you serve on a committee or board for an Events Industry Council organisation? Do you volunteer for industry-sponsored research or initiatives? How do you contribute to our profession?

My first boss served on a local MPI chapter board and encouraged me to join a committee. I followed her advice and immediately fell in love with the networking, learning from peers, finding new mentors, monthly educational programs and giving back to our community. I was hooked and could not be more grateful to her influencing the trajectory of my career. I continued my volunteerism serving as committee chair, board member and executive committee member. I then moved due to my husband’s job and volunteered in another MPI chapter serving on their board and as president. I wanted to continue to give back, so I served on MPI International Committees and then on their International Board. During that time, I was fortunate to serve on the CMP Governance Commission for a three-year term. I then returned a few years later, and here I am serving as Chair of the Commission.

As an events professional, how do you actively add value to your company and lead growth and development? Many struggle with getting their creative voice heard at the top level. We asked events executive, Cornelia Horner, CMP, for some advice on leadership and professional growth in the meetings and events industry. Horner is Chief Operating Officer for the American Land Title Association (ALTA). Read below for some of her expert insights.

1. What steps did you take to achieve a career in executive leadership?

   There are a number of things that I have done to help develop my leadership skills. Most notably, raising my hand when I can. I have volunteered in a number of roles both in the meetings industry and in my local community including serving as the president of MPI’s Potomac Chapter, which had more than 1,000 members at the time. Being in a volunteer role allows you to grow and develop leadership skills in a safe environment. I also think it’s very important to "work out loud." So many meeting professionals are busy getting things done, and they don’t talk about how important their role is to their organisation. You need to be able to communicate that in a way that people in the C-suite will understand to make them care.

The Events Industry Council is looking for experts like you to speak at CMP Conclave. Happening 16-18 November 2018 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, this is our signature annual event where CMPs gather to contribute to their community, be inspired for future events, and elevate our profession to the next level. Give a short talk on the main stage during EventX, share a micro-learning moment or a thought-provoking deep dive in the CMP Lab, or present a breakout.

The CMP program is run by a governing body of CMPs who oversee the programmes and ensures it is a true reflection of the events industry. Each year we look for candidates passionate about the CMP designation to join the Commission for three-year terms. You can learn more about the CMP Governance Commission and current members here. Applications require your CV and two letters of reference. Consider applying today to ensure the CMP certification reflects the best of our industry through professionalism, integrity and knowledge. Your willingness to serve our community will truly make a difference.

As part of the Cobo Center Green Committee’s commitment to environmental stewardship in the community, on 11-12 September in Detroit, Michigan, the venue will be host to the Events Industry Council's (EIC) "Sustainable Event Professional Certificate." Cobo encourages all event planners and vendors that are dedicated to sustainability and the health of the planet to attend. Along with the certificate, the attendees are eligible for eight (8) hours of Continuing Education credits (CEs) toward CMP application or re-certification. The programme is open to all event professionals (CMPs and non-CMPs). The cost of admission is $330 USD. All attendees must preregister.

The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau is the Premier Development Partner of the Sustainable Event Professional Certificate.

The Events Industry Council is seeking engaged events professionals for volunteer roles with the Industry Insights Committee and the Sustainability Initiative. The deadline for nominations is 31 August 2018. Selected volunteers serve two-year terms beginning 1 January 2019.

• The Industry Insights Committee is an initiative of the Events Industry Council that promotes development and implementation of industry-wide accepted practices to create and enhance efficiency throughout the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry. This committee is responsible for developing, identifying and maintaining best practices for the events industry. Focus areas for 2019 will include safety and security, cyber security, the value of the event professional, and maintaining current resources for room block poaching, connectivity, eRFPs, and other tools. Volunteers will participate in regular calls and 1–2 face-to-face meetings per year and should anticipate 5–8 hours of volunteer responsibilities per month.

For more information on the Industry Insights Committee, including the nomination form, click here.

• Formerly the Green Meeting Industry Council, the Sustainability Initiative is a program within the Events Industry Council to advocate and educate around sustainability in the meetings and events sector. Volunteers will participate in the development of new resources for sustainable event education, including identifying potential speakers, writing articles and helping identify best practices related to sustainable events. Volunteers will participate in regular monthly calls and 3–5 hours of volunteer responsibilities per month. There may be 1–2 face-to-face meetings per year, typically in conjunction with major industry events.

For more information on the Sustainability Committee, including the nomination form, click here.

Questions? Contact Mariela McIlwraith, CMP, CMM, MBA, Director, Industry Advancement mmcilwraith@eventscouncil.org

Join us for our upcoming webinars:

• Monday, 17 September, 2018: Designing Welcoming Events
  
  Speakers: Tamara Kennedy-Hill, VP Diversity and Community Relations, Travel Portland, Matthew Shapiro, Consultant and Public Speaker, 6 Wheels Consulting, LLC, Mariela McIlwraith, CMP, CMM, MBA, Director of Industry Advancement, Events Industry Council

• Tuesday, 30 October, 2018: Evolution of Global Sustainable Event Standards
  
  Speaker: Amy Spatrisano, CMP, Chair, Events Industry Council Sustainable Events Standards Committee, President, AZano Inc.
  
  
• Tuesday, 27 November, 2018: Case Studies for Sustainable Event Strategy
  
  Speakers: Lindsay Arell, Honeycomb Strategies, David Fiss, Sustainable Brands, Dale Hudson, IMEX Group,Sabrina Lichtnegger, pulswerk GmbH and International Green Events Austria Conference, Courtney Lohmann, CMP, Koncept Events
  
  
• Tuesday, 11 December, 2018: Top 10 Tips to Get Started Greening Events
  
  Speaker: Nancy Zavada, CMP, President, MeetGreen

Sustainability webinars are eligible for one CE hour towards CMP certification or re-certification.

For full webinar descriptions, or to register, click here.

The Events Industry Council announced today that Tina Wehmeir, CMP, CAE, Chief Executive Officer of the AMC Institute, is the new chair of the Board of Directors, effective 1 July 2018 through December 2019. Wehmeir has an extensive background in the hospitality industry and in leadership roles with associations and association management companies (AMCs). As CEO, Tina oversees the complete management of the AMC Institute.

Visit Alexandria, the nonprofit destination marketing organisation for Alexandria, Virginia, located minutes from Washington, D.C. and named the #1 Best Value U.S. Travel Destination 2018 by Money magazine and one of the South’s Prettiest Cities 2018 by Southern Living, welcomes Karen Kotowski as chair of its Board of Governors. Kotowski, chief executive officer of the Events Industry Council, began her one-year appointment on 1 July 2018.

CMP-HC, the events certification for professionals in the healthcare sector, is turning 5 this year! We checked in with Aleka Garcia, the CMP Commission chair and member of the CMP-HC task force to see how the programme has evolved and where it is heading. Discover more about the program below, and don’t forget to attend her CMP-HC session at Conclave.

1. Can you describe your position on the CMP-HC task force?

   In 2017, the CMP Commission created the task force and it has been my pleasure to serve as the chair with my fellow commission members and CMP-HC community. Currently, I serve as a member of the task force.

2018 Hall of Leaders inductee Edward Liu is the group managing director of Singapore-based CEMS. We talked to him about his long history of success in the events world.

What would you identify as your most enduring contribution to the events industry?

To me, strategic events and exhibitions that anticipate and precede major economic trends play an important role in galvanizing industrial sectors and supporting national economic development and growth. I was involved in launching the first professionally organised "Computa" trade show in Singapore in 1979, three years before the establishment of the National Computer Board by the Singapore government in 1982. Similarly, together with the government agencies, I played a major role in organising and marketing the inaugural airshow, Asian Aerospace 81 in Singapore, as part of the government’s strategic plan to develop the aerospace industry in the country. I am delighted to say that both industries are now key economic sectors in Singapore and major players globally.

As event professionals, we can support business objectives by leveraging sustainable practices that lower cost and improve brand reputation. Events are important for driving innovation, strengthening opportunities, education and supporting the economy. This past year, the Events Industry Council released the results of a study, conducted by Oxford Economics, on the economic significance of meetings to the U.S. economy. This study found that meetings supported a total economic impact of $845 billion USD of output (business sales), and 5.9 million jobs. Plans are underway to conduct a new study to assess our global impact. While our industry has an important impact on the economy, it also has an impact on the environment and on communities. Planning sustainable events helps to ensure that this impact is responsible all while driving business results. Also this year, in collaboration with Sustainable Brands and Radisson Hotel Group, we surveyed more than 350 event professionals and found that 47 percent of organisations have a sustainability mandate, meaning that we can help achieve overall business goals through sustainable event practices.

Earlier this year, we asked event professionals to help us assess the impact of room block poaching in our industry by participating in a survey. We found some positive trends, but overall, this remains a serious concern for our industry.

Room block pirates and poachers are businesses that actively seek to recruit or divert event participants, primarily attendees and exhibitors, away from official room blocks and into other hotel bookings, using a range of techniques to approach event participants and gain their business.

Visilia, conveniently located halfway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, is quickly becoming a hot spot for conventions catering to everything from ham radio operators to gymnastics competitions. Last month, the VCVB and Tourism Marketing District announced the hiring of Demea Metcalf to serve as its first-ever executive director. In her role, Metcalf will be tasked with promoting Visalia to domestic and international markets as a preferred overnight destination through a strategic programme of initiatives that will reach new meeting planners and travel buyers.

Have you been quoted in an article? Do you have some exciting news to share?

Contact us at cmptoday@eventscouncil.org and we can share it with the leading individuals and companies involved in the events industry!