CMP Today

Update: GSA Act of 2012

As a result of efforts by CIC member ASAE, positive effects are being seen through the education of Congress and the Administration regarding the positive benefits of federal employees participating in private sector meetings. On September 11, the House voted to pass by voice vote HR 4631, the GSA Act of 2012. Unlike the last travel prohibition passed by voice vote in the House (the DATA Act HR 2146), this legislation would not limit the number of meetings federal employees could attend annually or require financial disclosures from the association holding the meeting.

While HR 4631 is not perfect, the modifications made to the DATA Act were the result of associations and meeting professionals nationwide educating legislators and staff on the value of association meetings. At this time, there is no concurrent Senate action on HR 4631 or any alternatives.

The association and meetings community continues to send the message that taxpayer money should be spent wisely, and that many of the public-private partnerships which help create good policy are advanced at association and other responsibly planned meetings.

Here's a link to the language of HR 4631: http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:H.R.4631

CMP Events

Save the Date - CMP Conclave 2013

Mark your calendar for June 8-10, 2103 when the CMP Conclave will be held in Spokane, WA. You'll want to be there to experience the only conference exclusively for Certified Meeting Professionals. Conclave offers CMPs a unique combination of advanced education, networking and exam development sessions.

Set in scenically beautiful eastern Washington, where sunshine and fresh air are abundant, Spokane is a hip and vibrant urban center for a three state, two province region. Spokane’s Silver LEED Certified Convention Center will host the Conclave education and networking sessions and the beautiful and historic Davenport Hotel & Tower (LEED Gold Certified) will offer comfortable accommodations, all in the heart of downtown Spokane.

Spokane offers fine dining, tasting rooms and nightclubs, along with fantastic retail offerings, boutiques, galleries and entertainment options and abundant outdoor adventures added to the mix and the 2013 CMP Conclave is sure to be an unforgettable experience!

Look for more details in future editions of CMP Today and make plans to attend the next "best CMP Conclave ever."

Global Perspective

CMP in South Africa

By Karen Kotowski, CAE, CMP

Last month I had the distinct pleasure to travel to South Africa at the invitation of CIC’s newest member, Southern African Association of the Conference Industry (SAACI,) to speak about CMP at their annual conference. In addition, the African Chapter of ICCA invited me to their meeting to address the members on the subject of associations and the value of collaboration among them. CIC by its very nature is a model of association collaboration, and while I don’t consider myself an expert on the topic, we live it here every day. More on that later.

Both meetings gave me the opportunity to meet many new people in the meetings industry both CMP and non-CMP. And as I always am when I attend meetings of our member organizations, I was very impressed with the dedication, commitment and enthusiasm for our industry by the people who work in it. South Africa is no exception. Of course no one is better at hospitality than our industry, and I’d like to thank the members of SAACI and ICCA South Africa for their many kindnesses and impeccable hospitality during my visit.

A special thank you to Nigel Walker, CMP with Complete Exhibitions who sponsored the first ever CMP Breakfast in South Africa. It was an informal gathering with no set agenda, other than to talk about the value the current CMPs there place on their certification and the future of CMP in South Africa. I was able to present pins to three of our newest CMPs there and to announce the appointment of Chris Prieto, CMP as our CMP board-appointed representative in the region.

As announced in our last CMP Today, the CMP board has appointed Regional Representatives, CMPs in North America, Latin America, Asia, Europe and Africa, who have volunteered to be our feet on the ground promoting CMP, mentoring candidates, and creating a community of CMPs in the region. This will be our new model of collaboration moving forward.

With this CMP volunteer force in place, CIC has ended its relationship with MICE Academy/CMP Network South Africa. While this collaboration made sense a few years ago, CIC’s members in the region (SAACI and ICCA) are better able to serve CIC’s interests and the CMP program in the region.

All CMP’s, CMP candidates and prospects should make all applications, registrations and payments directly with CIC. In addition, Chris Prieto is available in the region to answer any questions or you can contact CIC directly.

While the MICE Academy/CMP Network SA is no longer affiliated with CIC or the CMP programme, we wish them well in their future endeavors. We have asked them to stop using the CMP name and logo in South Africa to avoid future confusion, and we ask assistance of CMPs in the region by sending candidates directly to CIC or Chris Prieto.

As CMP continues to grow around the globe, we will provide updates from other regions as well.

Karen Kotowski, CAE, CMP

APEX - Standards and Best Practices

Venue Managers Discuss APEX/ASTM at IAVM International Convention Center Conference

The APEX/ASTM Environmentally Sustainable Event Standards are here, and organizations are now assessing how they will begin to implement the requirements and use the standards and as tool for managing sustainability.

Meeting venue and convention center managers will discuss the standards in a panel titled "APEX/ASTM Environmentally Sustainable Meeting Standards" at the International Convention Center Conference, September 27-29, 2012 in Seattle, WA.

Ryan Thorpe, Director of Facility Operations, McCormick Place, Chicago, IL will moderate a discussion by panelists Jeff Blosser, President & Chief Executive Officer, Washington State Convention Center, Seattle, WA; Vicki Hawarden, CMP, President & Chief Executive Officer, IAVM, Coppell, TX; and Lawrence Leonard, CMP, COO, Convention Industry Council, Alexandria, VA.

Industry News

IMEX America Powering Up for a Significantly Bigger 2012 Show

A strong debut from IMEX America last year has resulted in significant increases from exhibitors and buyers for the award-winning trade show this coming October 9-11 at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas.

Of contracts so far received, 20% of those who exhibited at the first show are returning with even bigger booths. Of these, 50% of exhibitors have more than doubled the space they will be taking at the show.

In addition -- and in another sign that the show has captured both the imagination and the business appetite of the international meetings, incentive travel and events market -- almost 50 new booths are set to join the line-up so far at IMEX America, with more expected in the coming weeks. Of the 50 to-date, many are new US suppliers and destinations, while the space increases have been seen from across the world.

New US destinations

New US destinations represented on the show floor will be Charlotte, Indianapolis, Jackson Hole, Long Beach, Myrtle Beach, Nashville, Seattle, Sedona, the US Virgin Islands and Yosemite Gold Country.

IMEX America 2012 will also feature a dedicated "California" pavilion which will showcase San Diego, San Francisco and new exhibitors Long Beach, Santa Monica and Beverley Hills. Meanwhile, global destinations new to the show include Abu Dhabi, El Salvador, Honduras, Peru and Madrid.

The technology section of the show is also set to expand.

In announcing these figures, IMEX Group Chairman, Ray Bloom, declared that the show’s hallmark hosted buyer program will also be larger this year with more than 2,000 buyers expected. Much of this growth has been achieved through IMEX America partners and intermediaries who want to bring larger hosted buyer groups following positive feedback from their clients after last year’s event.

Bloom commented: "We were delighted with the positive response we received after last year’s debut IMEX America; it was clear the show produced the business results both exhibitors and buyers were looking for. It is gratifying to see that feedback now being converted into increased participation on both sides, which bodes well for an even stronger IMEX America this October."

Extensive professional and personal development

IMEX America opens with Smart Monday on Monday, October 8. This full day of free education takes place the day before the trade show opens and includes over 100 professional and personal development seminars and learning opportunities.

For CMPs IMEX education counts towards CMP continuing education hours! Simply keep track using the downloadable form - http://www.imexamerica.com/cmptracking2.html

CMPs in the News

Sustainability Expert and Emerging Professionals Recognized by CIC with New Pacesetter Award

A new awards program spearheaded by the Convention Industry Council (CIC) honors accomplished industry supporters and emerging leaders in the meetings and events community. Called the Pacesetter Awards, the program will pay tribute to individuals as achievements are brought to the CIC as worthy of industry recognition in areas such as:

Innovation & Best Practices
Community Service, Environmental Leadership, Corporate Social Responsibility
Friend of the Industry, Public Elected Official
Young Professionals
Chairman's Award

For this first Pacesetter Award presentation, CIC has chosen Amy Spatrisano, CMP principal at MeetGreen and renowned sustainability expert to receive the 2012 Environmental Leadership Pacesetter Award and four Young Professional Pacesetters nominated from CIC member organizations to receive the 2012 awards.

Spatrisano was one of the driving forces behind the development of the industry’s first sustainable meeting standards, the APEX/ASTM Environmentally Sustainable Meeting Standards, released earlier this year. As Chair of the APEX Green Meetings and Events Panel and later as a member of the ASTM E60.02 Committee, she oversaw the development of the standards, a four-year process that included expertise from 300 planners, suppliers and sustainability experts from within the industry, as well as the standards, engineering and materials science experts that make up the ASTM membership.

The 2012 Young Professionals Pacesetter Awards will be presented to the following individuals:

Joe Capitanelli, Regional Marketing Director, Global Spectrum, nominated by International Association of Venue Managers, for his leadership and influence to foster more involvement from local non-profits, city government, staff and volunteers in "Helping Hands for the Holidays." The event seeks to provide food and services for those in need within St. Charles County Missouri and has grown from annual event serving 150 people in its first year, to one of the largest charity events of its kind serving over 1,200 meals, offering flu shots, winter coats, canned food, various health screenings, transportation and family activities to those in need.

Krzysztof Celuch, Manager, Poland Convention Bureau, nominated by International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), for his role in the execution of the ICCA Forum for Young Professionals, and for his work in helping to organize the inaugural IMEX Challenge Poland, a biennial humanitarian event designed to promote the power of corporate social responsibility.

Mary Catherine Tagg, DMCP, National Sales Manager, Destination King, nominated by Association of Destination Management Executives International (ADMEI), who has risen to president of the Memphis Attractions Association, earned a Fellow of Leadership Academy Memphis and serves on numerous ADMEI committees and earned a Rising Star Award all within 5 years in the DMC industry.

Sarah Vining, Marketing Manager, The National Conference Center, nominated by International Association of Conference Centers, serves the IACC Board as a non-voting associate to advise on emerging trends from the Millennial perspective and Chairs its Emerging Trends Committee. Leading that committee, Sarah created IACC's Social Media Guide, which serves as a resource for its members worldwide.

Beginning in 2013, the Pacesetter Awards will be a part of and presented during the CIC Hall of Leaders gala, a program that was started in 1985 to represent the industry's highest honor and lifetime of achievements and contributions to the industry. This class of emerging professionals will be honored alongside Spatrisano at an invitation-only luncheon hosted by CIC on Oct. 8, 2012 in Las Vegas during IMEX America. In this inaugural year, individuals were selected only within these categories and in outward years those honored will be expanded to include other categories.

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