CIC Announces the Recipients of the Top #CMP30 Influencer Awards
The Convention Industry Council (CIC) is proud to announce the recipients of its first peer-nominated influencers campaign, launched in honor of the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Program’s 30th anniversary. #CMP30 Influencers are CMPs who have made a substantial impact on their colleagues and communities and whose contributions have left an indelible mark on the global meetings and events industry. These 30 individuals exemplify the spirit of the CMP credential – professionalism, credibility and excellence – and CIC is proud to recognize these representatives of the program.
"As CMP turns 30, the Influencers program has been a wonderful way to celebrate those industry leaders who have made a difference over the past three decades," said Karen Kotowski, CAE, CMP, CEO of the Convention Industry Council. "The response has been overwhelmingly positive as colleagues nominated their peers and mentors, reflecting on those who made a lasting impact on their careers. These CMP Influencers are exemplary models of what the CIC stands for – fiercely committed to the advancement of the meetings profession."
Driven primarily by social media, #CMP30 launched in April of this year, as industry professionals were encouraged to use Facebook and Twitter to nominate a CMP who has influenced them personally and whose work has had an impact on the direction and growth of the profession. More than 75 individual nominations were submitted for deserving CMPs and at the end of the public nomination window, CIC asked industry professionals to vote, among all eligible candidates, for their top #CMP30 Influencer via a Facebook poll.
The final top 30 CMP Influencers were selected by a committee, based on the number of Facebook poll votes, personal influence on peers, and community/leadership presence. The CIC is excited to be able to celebrate this special anniversary while thanking all CMPs globally along with the influencers who have helped make this an iconic and top certification that will continue to grow for many years to come.
The top #CMP30 Influencers are:
- Corbin Ball, CMP, CSP, DES, Corbin Ball Associates
- Terri Breining, CMP, CMM, Breining Group LLC
- Carolyn Browning, CMP, CMM, MEETing Needs, LLC
- Dr. Amanda Cecil, PhD, CMP, Indiana University
- Eduardo Chaillo, CMP, CMM, CASE, Maritz Travel Company
- Tahira Endean, CMP, QuickMobile
- Howard Feiertag, CMP, CHSE, CHA, Virginia Tech
- Dianna Fuller, CMP, CMM, HelmsBriscoe
- Deborah Gardner, CMP, DG International LLC
- Karen M. Gonzales, CMP, Destination Marketing Association International
- La Tayna Greene, CMP, Purdue University Conference
- Tyra W. Hilliard, PhD, JD, CMP, Hilliard Associates
- Joanne Joham, CMP, CMM, International Congress and Convention Association
- Carol Krugman, Med, CMP, CMM, Metropolitan State University of Denver
- Loretta Lowe, CMP, Loretta Lowe, Meeting and Event Management
- Dave Lutz, CMP, Velvet Chainsaw Consulting
- Mary Jo MacDonald, CMP, Maritz Travel
- Mariella McIlwraith, CMP, CMM, MBA, Meeting Change
- Lisa J. Mikita, CMP, CAE, American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
- Kelly Peacy, CAE, CMP, Professional Convention Management Association
- David Peckinpaugh, CMP, Maritz Travel Company
- Katy Quigley, CMP, Microsoft Corporation
- Richard Rheindorf, CMP, Accor Hotels
- Adrienne Six, CMP, Visit Orlando
- Pat Schaumann, CMP, CSEP, DMCP, HMCC, Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
- Christine "Shimo" Shimasaki, CMP, CDME, empowerMINT.com, Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI)
- Janet Sperstad, CMP, Madison College
- Nick Topitzes, CMP, pc/nametag®, Inc.
- Aaron Wolowiec, MSA, CAE, CMP, CTA, Event Garde LLC
- Karen Zimmerman, CMP, Maritz Travel
For more information on these honorees, please visit the CIC website: http://www.conventionindustry.org/CalendarEvents/CMPCelebrates30thAnniversary.aspx
The #CMP30 Influencers will be honored at the upcoming CMP Conclave, September 26-28, 2015, in Reno, Nevada. To learn more, visit http://www.conventionindustry.org/CalendarEvents/CMPConclave/Conclave2015.aspx.
Events Industry Council