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July 2014
In This Issue
Featured Article
 According to the USDA, 17 percent of the average diner’s plate goes uneaten. When nearly $54 billion was spent on food and beverage for an estimated 1.83 million U.S. corporate meetings and events in 2012, according the Convention Industry Council, that equates to about $9.2 billion dollars of food, scraped into the trash.Why do you think it went uneaten? Was it is too much food? Did it taste bad? Or is it possible that your meeting attendees were unable to eat the food because of dietary restrictions or personal preferences? Approximately 15 million Americans have food allergies. One in every 133 people have celiac disease. More than 25.8 million Americans have diabetes. Obesity affects 35 percent of American adults and 17 percent of children. More than 30 million people follow a vegetarian or vegetarian-inclined diet, with 1 million of them being vegan. And of the 11.2 million kosher consumers in the U.S., 86 percent are non-practicing Jews. Nearly 35 percent of Americans follow a religious-based diet almost daily. Tallying those figures, close to 45 percent of Americans – close to 45 percent of your meeting attendees – follow special diets. In the past the special meal was usually vegetarian, sometimes vegan. And your caterer had "something" for them – usually a bland pile of vegetables. But with the array of special meal requests rising daily, figuring out what to serve event participants can be challenging for any planner. Especially when budgets are already tight. At the upcoming CMP Conclave, I will be presenting a session called "Serve This, Not That!" to help planners understand the range of dietary needs and how to plan for them, as well as the legal, ethical and financial issues at stake. Know the Needs Managing the multitude of requests can be challenging to say the least. But understanding the basic guidelines for the most prevalent requests can go a long way.
Managing food restrictions and needs can be cumbersome, but a little extra planning and forethought can go a long way.
In 2008, the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) was amended to clarify and broaden that definition of the word "disability," thus expanding the number and types of persons protected under the ADA, including individuals with food allergies, celiac disease, and other conditions that affect their ability to eat. In Conclusion As a certified meeting professional, you’re responsible for bringing people together from around the world to share an experience. While at your event, they are under your care. You have taken on the commitment to plan their activities, their meals and their experience. And, as such, you’re responsible for their health, safety and well-being. By making a few simple changes to your food and beverage plans, you can potentially save yourself thousands of dollars of your F&B budget and wasted food all the while making guests feel welcome at your events. Attend "Serve This, Not That!" at the CMP Conclave September 6-8 in New Orleans to arm yourself with better knowledge and a few savvy tricks for feeding participants healthfully, safely and deliciously. |
 A few days ago, the House of Representatives passed the Travel Promotion, Enhancement, and Modernization Act (H.R. 4450) on an overwhelming vote of 347-57. Thank you for making phone calls or contacting your representatives about this bill. This victory would not have been possible without the tireless efforts of our travel and meetings community who engaged in a wide range of activities – hosting roundtable meetings and tours in local markets, lobbying on Capitol Hill, sending emails and letters, recording video testimonials, and calling and tweeting – to urge elected federal representatives to support re-authorization of Brand USA. Next Steps: On to the Senate Now, we must continue our efforts in the U.S. Senate, where we expect to see a markup of the companion bill (S. 2250), introduced by Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Roy Blunt (R-MO), this week. We encourage you to keep making the case by telling your senators how the program is working for your destination or business.
Forward this information to colleagues and, if you have not already done so, JOIN THE EFFORT to create a larger grassroots coalition to act and respond to the issues that effect our industry. |
CMP Events
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CONCLAVE IS THE EVENT TO:
Earn continuing education credit toward CMP recertification
Take home valuable education
Learn from and exchange ideas with fellow CMPs
Network with leaders in the industry
Help set the future direction of the CMP Program
Join the rest of the CMP community at the Hyatt Regency New Orleans this fall for the only yearly networking and educational event just for CMPs, featuring an unparalleled blend of professional development and social engagement!
We have an number of thought-provoking keynote speakers lined up for the Conclave including:
Leading-edge breakout topics:
All Roads Lead to Conclave...See You in New Orleans! |
Recertification
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If you’ve already satisfied the recertification requirements, submit your application now and save $25. After August 30, 2014, the fee to recertify will be $250.
You’ll need to have both professional experience and continuing education clock hours to recertify your CMP. Here are the requirements: Professional Experience (2 options)
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Industry News
 The Convention Industry Council recently announced our partnership with Social Tables to bring you the planner-request app, the Pocket Planner. After sharing the preview a few weeks ago, we are so pleased to announce that this FREE app is now available for download!Compatible with all iOs and Android devices, this innovative app uses two separate functionalities to automate manual processes, allowing meeting planners to spend more time on strategic tasks.
The Calculator function allows users to input the number of event attendees into an algorithm that recommends quantities of food and beverage (including liquor, coffee and standard drinks), safety (fire extinguishers and exit space) and staffing. The calculations are based on industry best practices and established standards that CIC uses in its Manual, an excellent reference for day-to-day operations, which is available for download through the app.
"Promoting professionalism is at the core of CIC’s mission. We are committed to fostering the growth and needs of our industry’s professionals through our actions. The Pocket Planner app allows us to do both of those things seamlessly, said Karen Kotowski, CAE, CMP, chief executive officer of the Convention Industry Council. "The app is another tool that allows planners flexibility in applying their knowledge, not a substitute for attaining it. Kudos to Social Tables for creating a useful platform that is accessible and at no cost, to everyone in the industry."
Please be sure to check out the tutorial when you first open the app and let us know your thoughts!
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 The MMB campaign, a national communications and advocacy platform that showcases the substantial value of meetings, conferences, incentive travel, trade shows and exhibitions, has officially launched an industry-wide mobile app. The app, available in both Apple iTunes Store and the Android Google Play Store, is the on-the-go resource for industry leaders and for meetings and travel professionals. It serves as an additional entry point and engagement tool for you to get involved with the campaign. Features include:
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What to expect from Meeting Planning Madness:
In the Meeting Planning Madness Podcast Channel’s inaugural episode, co-hosts Shimo and Terri Roberts will discuss "Creating Experiences that Drive Attendance" with guest Jim Gilmore, author of the Experience Economy. During this podcast you’ll learn:
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CMPs in the News
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According to Successful Meetings, these luminaries were "chosen because they have either contributed to the business of meetings, made is easier for meeting professionals to do their jobs, helped raise awareness of the industry, or, through their actions, have had a significant impact on the industry."
Industry Associations Martha Sheridan, President and CEO of the Providence/Warwick CVB and Chair of Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) Sheridan is not only one of the few women to head a CVB, but one of the very few to be elected to lead the board for DMAI. So far on her watch, the organization has completed a research study called "Generation Next," which predicts what the destination marketing organization (DMO) of tomorrow will look like. Under Sheridan, DMAI has launched a new database of core performance metrics that will help DMOs benchmark themselves against the rest of the industry. Called Destination Arena, the new database currently features nine months of data from more than 100 DMOs in 13 countries. By the end of 2014, DMAI hopes the database will have tripled in size. Shawna Suckow, Founder and President of Senior Planners Industry Network (SPIN) Suckow has run SPIN for six years now, and she continues to use the organization as a platform to offer a variety of forums for meeting planners at the highest level. Her most recent innovation is The Hive Network, a private community that connects veteran suppliers with meeting planners for education and networking. Karen Kotowski, CEO of the Convention Industry Council (CIC) It's been a busy year for the head of the CIC, beginning with the February release of an updated "Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy" study, showing that 1.83 million meetings were held in the U.S., attended by 225 million delegates and contributing more that $115 billion to the GDP. Kotowski has also signed off on the CIC's latest initiative: creating a working group to take a hard look at the issue of room-block poaching. Planners David Peckinpaugh, President of Maritz Travel Company; Co-Chair of Meetings Mean Business Coalition (MMBC) As president of Maritz Travel Company for the past three years, Peckinpaugh has overseen the company's expansion by increasing its global and experiential design capabilities, notably by acquiring Experient two years ago. This year, the company increased its global focus by adding three global general managers to its team and continued to incorporate science into workplace engagement with the Maritz Institute. As co-chair of the MMBC, he has worked to ensure the industry is operating by the same playbook. This has included the launch this year of an online industry toolkit as well as a free MMBC app that speaks to the economic value of meetings. Industry Advocates Pat Schaumann, Director of Professional Development, Healthcare Sector, for MPI As the founder of the International Medical Meeting Professionals Association and director of the MPI Healthcare Meeting Compliance Certificate (HMCC), Schaumann anticipated the future confusion around the Sunshine Act – and she set out to help solve it. Schaumann is the author of Breaking the Code to Healthcare Compliance, a health policy resource book for meeting professionals, physicians, and manufacturers that addresses the impact of the National Physician Payment Transparency Program: Open Payments (formally the Physician Payments Sunshine Act) on the industry. Schaumann is the first recipient of the International Destination Management Professional of the Year award by ADME International and was most recently named "One of the 25 Most Influential Women in Business" by the St. Louis Business Journal. Congratulations, CMPs! To read more about these influential CMPs and to see the entire list, please visit Successful Meetings. |
CMP on the Road
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World Education Congress 2014
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Aug. 2-5, 2014 More information CIC will participate in a campfire-style career and learning session and have a table. Details below: CIC Table Times: Sunday, August 3, 2014 | 10 a.m.-noon & 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Monday, August 4, 2014 | 9 a.m.-11 a.m. & 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, August 5, 2014 | 10 a.m.-noon & 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Campfire Session Title: Are You Ready for Your Certification in Meetings? Monday, August 4, 2014 | 4:30 p.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday, August 5, 2014 | Noon-12:30 p.m. MEET National Conference Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Sept. 3-4, 2014 More information Apply to be a part of the first CIC/CMP Hosted Buyer Group and attend the Hall of Leaders Gala! |
On The Move
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Tammy Gilbert Cardona, CMP, will serve as President of the Tennessee Chapter of MPI
beginning July 1, 2014 through June 30, 2015.
Lacey Hein, CMP, is now an Event Marketing Manager Senior at Concur Technologies located in Bellevue, WA. She was previously an Event Specialist with Honeywell for more than seven years. Emilie Perkins, CAE, CMP, attained her CAE (Certified Association Executive) last month. She is Director of Training for LeadingAge Indiana. Susan Piel, CMP, is now Events Manager at FireEye, a leader in stopping the new generation of cyber-attacks. She was previously with TIBCO Software. Katie Riggs, CAE, CMP, attained her CAE (Certified Association Executive) last month. She is VP Client & Conference Services for Raybourn Group International. Make an awesome career move? Let us help you celebrate! Send the details of your latest career triumph to cmptoday@conventionindustry.org. And while you're at it, be sure to log into www.conventionindustry.org and update your official CMP record. |
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Convention Industry Council 700 N. Fairfax Street, Suite 510 Alexandria, VA, USA, 22314 Tel: 571-527-3116 |
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