The Convention Industry Council (CIC) announced the official launch of the Certified Meeting Professional …
The Convention Industry Council (CIC) announced the official launch of the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Ambassador programme on 1 September 2004. Under the direction of Beate Ewing, CMP, CMM, manager, meeting services for IntraMed Educational Group and Joanne Joham, project director for CIC, the CMP Ambassadors will promote the professional benefits of the CMP designation and raise the level of awareness about the certification programme throughout the world.
The CMP Ambassador programme is open to CMPs who have an interest in promoting the CMP designation to meeting and event professionals outside of North America. Each Ambassador serves as a knowledge base for CMP candidates and is responsible for increasing participation and interest in the programme.
As an initial step, a core group of CMPs in locations throughout the world have volunteered to be official CMP Ambassadors. Each Ambassador is committed to promoting the CMP programme for a term of 6 to 12 months. In return for their efforts, Ambassadors receive points toward CMP re-certification.
The CMP Ambassadors have established relationships with planners and suppliers in worldwide locations and are united by the common goal of promoting the CMP programme on a global basis. The CIC is proud to announce the first group of CMP Ambassadors: Michelle Anseeuw CMP (Florida, USA), Behroz Daroga, CMP (New York, USA); Jen Dawson, CMP (Illinois, USA); Maria Dempsey, CMP, CMM (California, USA); Ian Dockrill, CMP (Texas, USA); Kerrieann Gourley, CMP (Sydney, Australia); Tanaka Masayuki, CMP (New York, USA); Dawn McDonald, CMP (Connecticut, USA); Ralph Menzel, CMP (Stuttgart, Germany); Mark O’Day, CMP (New York, USA); Deborah Richardt, CMP (New York, USA); Kelly Ross, CMP (Kitzbuehl, Austria); Anne Roth, CMP (Maryland, USA); Chuck E. Schouwerwou, CMP (Ontario, Canada); Jim Skiba, CMP (California, USA); Lorenzo Turco, CMP (Monaco).
“We are asking the Ambassadors to personally contact their existing business contacts to recruit those individuals who may be interested in, and qualified to take, the CMP examination,” said Mary E. Power, president and CEO of CIC. “This personal touch will support the goals of the 9,854 existing CMPs who agree that the CMP designation provides credibility in an increasingly competitive international marketplace.”
The concept of promoting the CMP as a worldwide designation and developing a global examination was initiated by CIC’s European partners. Of utmost importance in today’s global economy is a meeting professional’s ability to understand the expectations and needs of his or her attendees, and industry colleagues. The CMP programme aims to accomplish this.
A European CMP testing location will be offered in Frankfurt, Germany during IMEX on 18 April 2005. Alternate testing locations will be considered in other cities on that same date if sufficient interest is demonstrated. CMP Ambassadors will mentor CMP candidates through the application process, making candidates aware of study materials and study groups, and providing encouragement and guidance. Applicants must submit completed applications to CIC by 17 January 2005 to be considered for the April 2005 exam.
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