In an era of enhanced fiscal responsibility, organizations across the globe are increasingly encouraging teamwork between meeting departments and procurement staff to strategically improve internal standards and processes that deliver cost savings, efficiencies and value. Meeting Professionals International (MPI) addresses this burgeoning movement in its second e-Merging Issues Online Web-audio series at 2 p.m. eastern/20.00 CET on Dec. 16, 2003.

Why Procurement, Why Me and Why Now, a live, fast-paced 90-minute virtual knowledge seminar features experts Christine Duffy, president and CEO, McGettigan Partners, A Division of Maritz Travel Company and Craig Ardis, CMM, director special events, Amway Corporation, both of whom serve on MPI`s International Board of Directors. After the session, meeting professionals will be better prepared and informed about meeting consolidation, flexibility of preferred agreements and contracts, and working directly with senior management. Time has been allotted for questions and interaction between participants and the speakers.

Empowering meeting professionals to speak the language, understand the process and be proactive in approaching senior executives with solutions that will impact the bottom line, ultimately proves their ongoing strategic value to the organization, said Colin C. Rorrie, Jr., PhD, CAE, president and CEO of MPI. Standardization will not replace the creativity of meeting professionals, which is essential to ensure the success of meetings and return on investment. MPI, through its Business Skills for Life curriculum, is dedicated to encouraging deeper interaction between senior management and meeting professionals by teaching core business competencies such as financial planning, strategic thinking and leadership development.

Registration began Nov. 17, 2003 and is open to MPI members at a cost of US$149 and US$199 for non-members (cost per connection to encourage participation by groups of individuals). The registration fee increases by US$10 after December 8. MPI members receive .15 continuing education credits (CEUs). Participants can access the session by simultaneously utilizing a phone for audio reception and an Internet connection to view slides and other information on the Web.

The e-Learning Series is just one component of MPI`s 360 Degrees of Education, a newly defined approach to deliver educational offerings to numerous member touch points. The approach includes a variety of content, programs and resources from desktop to global events that exist for MPI members now or are planned for the future during the phased rollout of MPI`s strategic plan designed to elevate the role of meetings in business. The first strategy of the plan calls for creating a major career pathway initiative, including enhanced educational offerings, to evolve member careers into positions of strategic understanding and influence.

Other strategies call for influencing corporate, association and other senior-level decision makers about the value of meetings, and intensifying business opportunities for industry suppliers.

Future e-Merging Issues Online sessions will be held on March 3, 2004 and June 16, 2004. Topics are to-be-determined to enable a breaking news and information format.