May 13, 2014 - CMP Study Group Begins

Why the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) has Mattered to Me

I’m one of those people who stumbled into the meetings industry. I never expected that a summer job would evolve into a career, but 20 years later, here I am – and I'm thrilled that the stumble flourished into such a positive experience. A few years into my career, I decided that I wanted to really grow in the industry and realized that my lack of industry specific training was going to hold me back. That’s when I decided to do the CMP exam.

I studied and read (and re-read and studied again) and the next thing I knew, I was sitting outside a very large ballroom, clutching my pencils, getting ready to write. When the letter that I passed arrived, I was overjoyed! And then a strange thing happened ... I gained confidence. It wasn’t that I lacked self-esteem, it’s that I couldn’t demonstrate, objectively, I had the skills and commitment to pursue this profession. This confidence helped me to go on to achieve my CMM and my MBA (with support from the MPI Foundation!), to serve as the MPI BC Chapter President, and these in turn to write a book and start a company. I really credit the CMP as being the turning point for me, and have been so honoured to have served as Executive Editor for the Convention Industry Council Manual, 9th Edition. The CMP has opened doors for me that I never expected, and has without a doubt been a benefit to my career.

The great thing about MPI Toronto is that they really want you to succeed. This spring, they are having a CMP Study Group to help you get the tools and tips to help you pass the exam. The Spring/Summer CMP Study Group begins on Tuesday, May 13, 2014.

For more information, visit the MPI Toronto website at www.mpitoronto.org. Registration is now open!

Mariela McIlwraith, CMP, CMM, MBA
President, Meeting Change
Executive Editor, CIC Manual, 9th Edition

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