Each month, the Certifications & Career Development Committee will explore a different meeting industry certification, and we will talk to an MPI Potomac member who holds it.

 

 

This 15-week course is offered four times per year and culminates in a capstone project focused on solving a real-world, work-based problem. The content capitalizes upon experiential learning opportunities through the inclusion of practical, real-life skill application (scenarios, simulations, case studies, etc.) relevant to the meeting and event industry that will help attendees advance their career. The goal of the program is to elevate the meeting professional to the C-suite.

 

Qualifications to apply for the program:

7+ years of professional experience in the meeting and event industry 
3+ years of management experience 
2+ years of profit and loss responsibility 
Personal Statement
Letters of Recommendation
Renewal Cycle: No renewal 

Current CMMs: More than 1,450

Maurita Williams, CMM since 2015

Puebla Mexico, Darden School of Business, University of Virginia

M. Williams Consulting LLC

 

I chose CMM because after being in the hospitality industry for many years, I did not have a designation. I felt this designation was best for my brand based on the many leadership roles that I have held in my professional career such as senior event marketing and sales manager, exhibition and expo manager, protocol officer, diverse business partnership manager, training manager, strategic planner and consultant.

 

 

For the first phase of the exam, I summarized appropriate lecture notes so that I could easily access the online bootcamp essay responses.

 

The second phase was a work-based project paper that was limited to eight to10 pages. Prior to attending the workshop, I had discussions with my peers to prepare myself for what was needed for the program. In addition, it also helped that I was working as a consultant with a large global association to redesign their event management tool. I used that experience with the association to create my project paper.

 

 

Having the CMM signifies that I am certified in meeting management. I can attest that I am more confident in my skills, which enabled me to enhance my strategic planning skills to help organizations and associations to review and design their event management departments and revisit return on investment involving face-to-face, digital, webinar meetings, expos and contract negotiations.

 

 

For our industry, having a designation has a dual benefit, such as it helps you to target the jobs/projects that you are interested in and shows any hiring manager that you are a qualified candidate. It also helps you to stay focused on your strengths in your skill set.