You must have an active MPI membership and be a chapter leader to view this content.
August 2024
August 8
Chapter Leadership Summit
Chapter Leadership Summit
FY2025 Board Slates (Compliance Requirement)
Thank you to all Chapters and Clubs that submitted their FY2025 board slates to MPI by the August 1, 2024, deadline. If you have not done so yet, and you know who you are, please submit the slate as soon as possible so your Chapter/Club is in compliance with the MPI Chapter Bylaws and MPI Chapter Policy Manual and your FY2025 board members can be invited to attend Chapter Leadership Summit taking place on September 12. Please only use the MS Excel template available in the CLRP > Compliance > August 1 Compliance
Board Meeting Attendance Policy
As a reminder, the Board attendance policy was updated in the most recent version of the Chapter Policies. The new policy is in Article IV, Section 2.5 and reads:
2.5 ATTENDANCE. In-person attendance is required at all in-person Board meetings and virtual attendance is required at all virtual Board meetings. If a Board member who is not on an approved leave of absence fails to attend at least seventy-five percent (75%) of Board meetings, the Board may, in consideration of the totality of circumstances and any excused absences, remove the member in accordance with the Chapter Bylaws.
For purposes of this policy, an “excused absence” is one where the absent director promptly notifies the President that they are unable to attend a regularly scheduled Board meeting because of (i) a previous commitment that was identified to the President when the Board meeting was first scheduled, (ii) a health-related emergency to the director or their immediate family (iii) observance of a generally-recognized religious holiday, or (iv) an unforeseen business conflict outside the director’s control.
For purposes of this policy, “approved leave” is the absence from a Board meeting for a reasonable duration approved by the Board on the basis of a medical limitation, military deployment, childbirth or adoption, or other grounds as the Board may determine; provided, however, that the director on approved leave must use their best efforts to virtually attend Board meetings, if available, to ensure they are adequately informed of and responsible for the organization’s affairs.
KEY NOTES:
- In-person attendance is required at all in-person meetings and virtual attendance is required at all virtual Board meetings.
- Even if excused, Board Members must attend at least seventy-five percent of Board meetings or may be considered for removal (unless they are on approved leave). For example, if a Board meets monthly, a member may only miss three meetings before being considered for removal.
RISE Awards 2025 Cycle
The 2025 RISE Award nomination and application season is coming soon! Mark your calendar for September 10 as the RISE Award nominations and application will open.
Start thinking about what programs or which peers you’d like to nominate.
Also, don’t forget to refer to the RISE Up packages on the CLRP to see award winning programs and visit mpi.org/RISE to stay up to date on MPI RISE Awards!
IBOD & GBOT Applications
The deadline for MPI's IBOD applications has been extended. IBOD applications are now being accepted through August 8.
GBOT applications are being received through August 15.
As a volunteer and member of MPI, you are eligible to apply for these opportunities.
MPI Verified Facilitators for Annual
Annual retreats/summits should take place in September-October-November to ensure compliance documents (business plan, budget, event/marketing calendar, etc.) are ready for submission to MPI no later than December 1, 2024.
As per the MPI Chapter Policy Manual, Article IV. Board of Directors/Officers, Section 2. Board Election and Service and Item 2.4, chapters are required to hold an annual Board planning retreat between two and three months prior to the fiscal year. Chapters are recommended to hold a mid-year assessment retreat mid-fiscal year. Chapters are required to utilize an MPI-verified Chapter Facilitator during annual retreats to oversee the process and flow of the retreat. The MPI-verified Chapter Facilitator cannot be a current member of the home Chapter, have served on the Board in the last two (2) fiscal years or be a Chapter Administrator.
Please note that as per MPI Chapter Policy Manual, Article IX. Miscellaneous, Section 3. Non-Compliance, Item 3.1., Chapters may not be eligible for annual chapter performance awards and metrics incentives if they are not compliant with MPI Chapter Bylaws and the MPI Chapter Policy Manual.
A list of MPI-verified Chapter Facilitators is available in the CLRP > Facilitator Program > Supporting Documents > MPI Verified Facilitator Catalog 2024
Regional Council: FY2025 Chapter Appointed Representative Due December 1
The Regional Council Chapter Representative serves as a critical link between the local Chapter/Club and Regional Council. This role involves representing the overall health and performance and interests, concerns and initiatives of the local Chapter/Club and facilitating effective communication and collaboration between the chapter, the Regional Council and MPI Global. The Chapter Representative contributes to strategic planning and the exchange of ideas to ensure the overall success and alignment of the Regional Council and its constituent Chapters/Clubs.
Chapter appointments are due to MPI on or before December 1. Find more information and the link to submit the chapter representative on the Chapter Leadership Resource Page. CLRP > Office of the President > Office of the President Roles > Regional Council: Chapter Appointed Representative Info
All Hands Call 2024
MPI Chapter Leader All Hands Calls inform Volunteer Chapter Leaders with crucial information and updates about our organization. All Board Members are encouraged to attend and ask questions directly to MPI Senior Leadership. Register online for the Zoom calendar invite.
· November 20 at 10:00am CST - Register Today!
Social Media Takeover Guide & Request Form
Interested in taking over MPI’s Instagram account? Learn about the process and complete the request form on the Social Media Takeover Guide & Request Form. CLRP > Marketing & Communications > Marketing Resources > Social Media Takeover & Request Form
Flash Sale 2024 Results
The July 2024 Flash Sale brought in 367 new members! Thank you to the many Chapters, Clubs and members who shared this offer. Your emails, social media posts, and other outreach helped make this sale a success!
These five Chapters generated the most members, with 15+ members each. Great job!
- New England Chapter
- Greater Orlando Chapter
- Tennessee Chapter
- Toronto Chapter
- Rocky Mountain Chapter
Membership Update
MPI is proud to partner with FareX™
MPI is proud to partner with FareX™, an emerging leader in airline fare predictions.
FareX™ is an AI-Platform providing transparency into how prices are expected to change over time to help purchasers decide when to buy and how much to pay.
MPI is looking for 300 Planners to join a pilot that will provide free access to FareX™ for 3 months. Please join us for a LinkedIn Live session. Stay tuned for more details!
QuickBooks Online Updated for New Fiscal Year
MPI is in the process of updating the fiscal year in all QuickBooks Online accounts. All chapters and clubs should be seeing the fiscal year of January 1 to December 31 in all reports. If you are not seeing this adjustment, please reach out to Lyndsey Leach, MPI Controller at lleach@mpi.org
Calling all Speakers, Suppliers and Planners - Register Now!
Let’s Make this Easi(er) – 6 Time Saving, Stress-Reducing Tips for Speakers, Suppliers, and Event Planners | August 13, 2024 | 11:00am – 12:00pm, CST https://academy.mpi.org/live/4679/page/21210
Chapter Leadership Summit Registration Opens
All FY2025 Chapter Leaders are invited to attend the virtual Chapter Leadership Summit on Thursday, September 12, 2024. All FY2025 Chapter Presidents should encourage their board to attend this important training session. An email invitation will also be sent during the month of August. Register Today!
Volunteer Chapter Leader Registration Discount Code for the EVENT
All FY2023-2024 Volunteer Chapter Leaders, Chapter Administrators and Regional Council Chairs/Vice Chairs who are MPI members in good standing are eligible for discounted registration.
The EVENT is September 22-24, 2024, in Ottawa, ON at the Brookstreet Hotel.
Register online using the discount codes below:
PVEVENT – $309 for planner/chapter administrators
SVEVENT – $649 for supplier volunteers
Regional Business Exchange Upcoming Events
Elevate your professional connections and take your business to new heights.
MPI’s Regional Business Exchange is coming to New York City and Monterey, CA with a unique micro-event experience, adapted from our award-winning signature events and programs. Prepare for the ultimate productivity-driven experience, brimming with trending education, productive networking opportunities, and engaging activities, all neatly designed to optimize your business relationships, right in your own backyard.
EDUCATION:
AI Integration: Crafting the Future Event Landscape
Discover the symbiotic relationship between cutting-edge technology and event orchestration. Elve into the realm of Artificial Intelligence, discovering how it seamlessly intertwines with event planning. Witness firsthand the potential of AI to streamline operations, optimize scheduling and enhance guest experiences. Armed with this knowledge, break into groups to apply AI to the design of a work-based case study.
Program Objectives: By the end of the certificate program, participants will be able to:
- Describe fundamental concepts of Artificial Intelligence.
- Identify opportunities to incorporate AI in event design.
- Utilize AI tools and technologies to enhance event planning and execution.
- Develop strategies for personalized attendee experiences using AI.
- Analyze date-driven insights to improve event outcomes.
- Apply AI to a real-world case study in event design.
Join us on October 23:
Industrious / 730 Third Avenue
New York City, NY
Planner application for the NYC event found: HERE
Join us on November 19:
Monterey Conference Center
Monterey, CA
Planner application for the Monterey, CA event found: HERE
A few things to review and something to celebrate
Hello Chapter Leaders,
Thank you for your feedback generated from the July reminder message. It is not too late to return your Chapter pledge form with your commitment for 2024.
Be inspired and consider how you can incorporate just one easy activation to benefit the MPI Foundation before the end of this year. One raffle or silent auction item can deliver a great return and benefit not just your own Chapter, but also other MPI Members.
If you need ideas or inspiration on what your chapter can do to raise funds for the MPI Foundation, please reach out.
If you have had a successful campaign we want to hear your good news, be it an amazing golf tournament, theme night or simple raffle. We all love good news!
NEXT
We hope you were able to share and promote the “40 for 40” opportunities with your Chapter Members this week. This inspiring campaign will be a significant boost to our overall fundraising for 2024. As the MPI Foundation celebrates 40 years, here is a mind nugget to share and why donations to the MPI Foundation help us Celebrate the Power of Good.
‘Since 1984, the foundation has distributed over $14.4 million directly to our global community impacting over 25,000 individuals including over $6 million in industry research and support.’
“AND?” You may ask – “How does that impact me or my Chapter?”
What sometimes gets lost in our quest is a simple fact: We fundraise to GIVE BACK.
We GIVE BACK by turning donations into Scholarships for MPI members to attend MPI conferences, education sessions, pursue accreditation, to keep memberships active in tougher times, like COVID or natural disasters (Hawaii) or conflicts (Ukrainian Students). We help support chapters with Grants to deliver special programs, research, technology and support MPI and industry initiatives like Anti-Human Trafficking and Research like economic impact studies. Every single MPI member has benefitted from the MPI Foundation, sometimes in a very direct way, and other times by an unseen yet real impact for our community and work. The more we raise, the more we can do. The more we can focus on members helping members. The more we can Celebrate the Power of Good.
Check out and share our current Scholarship opportunities with your chapter: https://www.mpi.org/foundation/get-help/scholarships.
Looking for inspiration on HOW donations make a difference? Scroll down a little further on the scholarship page for testimonials from MPI Members just like you.
What is the Council of Regional Chairs, and Who Do They Serve?
By: MaryAnne Bobrow, CAE, CMP Fellow, CMM
MPI's Chapter and Membership Advisory Council (CMAC) worked for a long time to design a group of engaged MPI members that would assist MPI Chapters in achieving collaboration, mentorship, and the sharing of best practices around the globe. In late 2023, the Council of Regional Chapters' representatives were interviewed and selected. The official launch was at the beginning of 2024.
The Council consists of eight regions: Canada, EMEA & APAC, LATAM, Midwest US, Northeast US, Pacific US, Southeast US, and Southwest US. Each area consists of Chapters geographically located within the region. Each chapter selects one member to represent it, participate in meetings, and assist in creating and achieving five goals established for the year's work. The goals for 2024 revolve around Chapter Satisfaction and Growth, Finance, Educational Events, WEC and/or EMEC, and the MPI Foundation. As with any newly formed council, the early part of 2024 was focused on developing a timeline for work based on which of the five goals needed attention. Each of the regions set a schedule upon which they would work on each of the goals.
The Council of Regional Chairs met in person for the first time at WEC in Louisville, Kentucky, and discussed important topics to improve the work of the Council, the following being of most significance:
- The Council will work together to correct an erroneous perception that the Regional Council was conceived to give MPI Global more control over the chapters. The Council's work is a collaborative effort to bridge any existing gaps, relieve volunteers from unnecessary work, and streamline some processes.
- Encourage chapters to include space on their meeting agendas to receive updates (hopefully monthly) from their chosen chapter representative, and to provide feedback from their representatives on how the Council can better serve them.
- CMAC and other committees will quickly begin using the Regional Councils as a resource for disseminating information to the chapters.
The morning after the Council of Regional Chairs met, a session was held with chapter representatives where emphasis was placed on the role of the regions being to help the chapters within their region through the provision of collaborative efforts and best practices that are working in other regions. The chapter can then decide which of the offerings would work best within the culture of the chapter.
For 2024, the Council of Regional Chairs will continue to hold meetings, as will the regions themselves, to track and report on which goals have already been achieved and how the remainder will be accomplished in the year's second half.
In short, the Regions and their Chairs are here to help, not hinder, the chapters toward tremendous success within each chapter. If anyone has concerns, don't hesitate to get in touch with any one of us, and please include our primary contact at MPI, Tim Gunn. We are committed to your success.
MaryAnne Bobrow, CAE, CMP Fellow, CMM chairs the Pacific Region US, served on the MPI Rise Judging Panel, is a 7-year member of MPI’s Anti-Human Trafficking Committee, and a member of the MPI Sacramento Sierra Nevada Chapter.
Anti-Human Trafficking Committee Forges Strong Partnerships
MPI’s Anti-Human Trafficking Committee celebrates our great partnerships as a major key to success. On Thursday, July 11, our committee welcomed Jonathan Barry with DHS / Blue Campaign / CCHT – Center for Countering Human Trafficking to our monthly meeting. Jonathan shared his knowledge and expertise on identifying and acting against human trafficking in our industry. On July 30, the Anti-Human Trafficking Committee recognized the U.N.’s World Day Against Trafficking in Persons by joining with our outstanding partner PACT PACT (wearepact.org) , raising our voices together to share information across social channels about the crime of human trafficking. Please reach out to MPI’s Anti-Human Trafficking Committee Chair Jennifer Berkemeier with any questions on our efforts.