Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is a professional community for the global meetings industry

Event planning

Event planning is the process of planning a festival, ceremony, competition, party, or convention. Event planning includes budgeting, establishing dates and alternate dates, selecting and reserving the event site, acquiring permits, and coordinating transportation and parking...

. Founded in 1972, the Dallas-based non-profit association has 68 chapters and clubs, over 24,000 members from 69 chapters in 20 countries around the world. It organizes four annual conferences: the World Education Congress (summer), the MeetDifferent (winter), the Asian Meetings and Event Conference (fall), and the European Meeting and Events Conference (spring).

MPI publishes One+ Magazine (formerly The Meeting Professional) with online access to selected articles. One+ is mailed monthly to MPI members as a member benefit.

Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Program (

Not an MPI specific designation - An accredited designation offered by the Convention Industry Council; this designation certifies competency in 27 areas of meeting management through application and examination.
For more information on the CMP designation: http://www.conventionindustry.org/#cmp or http://www.mpiweb.org/CMS/mpiweb/mpicontentadv.aspx?id=232

Also see http://www.mpiweb.org/cms/mpiweb/wiki/wiki_content.aspx?wikiid=51 Convention Industry Council (CIC)[]

Certification in Meeting Management (CMM)

Certification program offered by Meeting Professionals International. Global certification in meeting management that focuses on strategic thinking and actions for senior-level meeting professionals.

CultureActive Tool

The MPI CultureActive Tool is an added component of MPI Member Solutions that offers MPI members the opportunity to improve their ability to understand and communicate with other cultures – improving cultural competence and acquisition of skills.

Global Certificate in Meeting Operations (GCMO).

Global Certificate in Meeting Operations I

For those who are relatively new to the industry (less than 3 years), MPI will offer the Global Certificate in Meeting Operations I (GCMO). This certificate, based on an internationally consistent Body of Knowledge and therefore easily transferable, was created from the re-imagined Institutes I.

Global Certificate in Meeting Operations II

For those who possess more industry experience, MPI will offer the Global Certificate in Meeting Operations II (GCMO). This certificate, based on an internationally consistent Body of Knowledge and therefore easily transferable, will be created from the re-imagined Institutes I and possibly II and III.

Global Certificate in Meeting Operations III

For those who are at an intermediate-to-advance level in their career, but beyond the CMP level, MPI will offer a second Global Certificate in Meeting Operations (CMO). This certificate will be created from the re-imagined Institutes III, or parts of II as appropriate.

Executive Leadership Program

For the most senior and executive level industry professionals who have progressed beyond the need for meeting and event management education, MPI has plans to develop a leadership program (e.g., MBA level, focused on business executive leadership skills) for presentation at its conferences or as a stand-alone opportunity, along with opportunities for on-going engagement between members of this community.

MPI Chapter

MPI Chapters provide an education and networking link between members in a specific locality.

Digital Content Resource Center (DCRC)

The MPI Digital Content Resource Center (DCRC) strives to provide searchable content that shapes an educational experience for members. As new content is generated through live events, digital connections, strategic partnerships, etc. the life of the content will be provided here as a value added service.

Virtual Knowledge Center

CSR Webinar Series

MPI presents a series webinars on corporate social responsibility as a free benefit of membership.

Harvard & Kiplinger Webinar Series

CMP Online Study Guide

A focused and flexible program designed to support preparation for the CMP exam.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

MPI provides publications and seminars on Corporate Social Responsibility

Corporate social responsibility

Corporate social responsibility is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model...

, a businesses' need to address its sustainability

Sustainability

Sustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...

 and impact on society in addition to profits. This is known as the triple bottom line

Triple bottom line

The triple bottom line captures an expanded spectrum of values and criteria for measuring organizational success: economic, ecological, and social...

.

Professional Pathways

MPI Professional Pathways is a suite of online personalized products and services to meet the career growth and resource needs of meeting professionals. It includes My Skills Assessment, My Gap Report and My Skills Assessment Recommended Resources.

CEU’S

MPI provides Continuing Education Unit (CEU) credits for learning activities as an additional membership benefit.

MPI Scholarships

CATEGORY I – College Education Funding is money designated for college work towards undergraduate or graduate degrees and requires acceptance in a program of study.
CATEGORY II - General Leadership Education or Academic Funding is money designated for knowledge/education sought inside or outside the traditional academic institution.
CATEGORY III – MPI Programs is money designated specifically for leadership, career and educational opportunities offered exclusively by MPI itself.

HelmsBriscoe

HelmsBriscoe

HelmsBriscoe is a meeting procurement and site selection agency headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. Founded in 1992 by Roger Helms, HelmsBriscoe has a network of Associates in over 50 countries averaging 15 years of hotel, meeting planning and industry experience to deliver meetings worldwide...

has committed to a five-year plan in support of the Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Foundation's 25 Years of Giving campaign. The program will create 25 annual scholarships for meeting planners to attend the World Education Conference and will also be applied toward scholarships for CMP and CMM certifications as well as MPI membership scholarships.

Universities

MPI offers lists of Universities with Hospitality or Meeting and Events courses of study.

MPI Foundation

The MPI Foundation powers the vision of Meeting Professionals International (MPI). Contributions from MPI members, chapters, and organizations are invested in high-impact programs to support a rich, global meetings and events industry and provide investment into the future of the meetings and events profession.

MPI Bookstore

The MPI Bookstore contains a large catalog of materials including CD-ROMs, books, e-books, templates and reports, and MPI logo materials. These resources, many available at a reduced cost, are provided as a benefit to MPI members.

EMEC

The European Meetings and Events Conference, co-created by Meeting Professionals International (MPI), brings together industry professionals from all over Europe and around the world for three days of education and next-level networking.

GMEC

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) will host its second annual Gulf Meetings and Events Conference in Abu Dhabi in March 2009, in an effort to continue building a vibrant community for meeting and event professionals in the Gulf region.

MeetDifferent

The event, usually held every February (formerly Professional Education Conference - North America or PEC-NA), is the first meeting industry conference where the organizers are creating new session ideas and formats. The extensive use of wikis and blogs and social networking complements the new format, and is attempting to help industry professionals better understand and use the new tools available to them.

World Education Congress (WEC)

The World Education Congress is MPI's global conference that is held annually in July or August, traditionally somewhere in North America. The WEC features education sessions with a focus on business, leadership and other career-development skills. There is a tradeshow component (MeetingPlace). WEC has a more international perspective than does MPI's other conferences. It also offers General Sessions and networking and marketplace/business opportunities.

External links

• MPI website
• Convention Industry Council (CIC)