Member Showcase - CMP Spotlight - May 2023

Melissa Legaux, CMP Senior Director of Trade Show Sales and Services Cobb Travel and Tourism

What motivated you to pursue the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation? I was motivated to pursue my CMP certification to be part of an elite group of certified meeting professionals who possess our industry's top standard of excellence, which is globally recognized.

When you complete the program, you gain an in-depth assessment of the overall structure of the meetings industry from all perspectives.

How did participation in the CMP Study Group support your studying to take the exam? I'm confident that the consistency and structure of the CMP study group support and preparation was the number one reason I passed the exam.

I was able to professionally and personally connect with other meeting planners within my study group to help me better understand the daily goals and operations of professional meeting planners. In addition, the study group format prompted me to stay consistent with my reading and studies.

I also created personal friendships with my study group, with whom I remain active in contact and communication.

How did you feel when you saw the words "You Passed" ? If I could sum up my feeling when I saw the words "you passed" in one word, it would quite simply be "Relieved". I was confident that I was properly prepared to be successful, but the feeling of knowing that all my hard work paid off was simply magical.

What benefits have you experienced as a result of having your CMP? One of the best benefits of obtaining my CMP is having the ability to support and encourage others within the industry to start their personal journey. Additionally, by completing the program, I can set realistic expectations of the time investment and provide recommendations and areas of focus for them to successfully complete the program. 

Do you find information you learned while studying to take the exam helpful in your positions since earning your CMP and are you able to use some of the formulas, etc., to help your meetings go well? Yes, I constantly use the information in many ways. For instance, when responding to an RFP, I can quickly and easily assess meeting space needs using formulas learned in the program.

I often ask my clients: "Can I take off my sales hat and put on my CMP hat" when conducting client site tours because I have a keen eye for program flow and format to help support their meeting's vision and goals to ensure we are being creative to best utilize space accordingly.

Reflecting on the time since you achieved the CMP designation, was it a good use of your time and resources to take that step? Absolutely, time well spent. The certification will continue to prove you have earned the highest standard of industry excellence.

Anything additional you would like to share about the CMP study group or about the CMP designation. Please take the time to invest in yourself and your career, because you are worth it!

LAST CALL for Summer CMP Study Group!

If you have participating in the Summer CMP Study Group on your "to do" list, please email Gregg Lauer, CMP at glauer@etherio.com and Connie Bergeron, CMP at connie@siteselectionsolutions.com and confirm your availability to join the May 16 CMP Information Session and May 23 CMP Study Group Start Up Session from 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm via Zoom.