Member Showcase - CMP Spotlight - November 2024

 

Connie Bergeron, CMP Fellow President Site Selections Solutions, Inc.

What’s New and Next for the Certified Meeting Professional Designation?

By Connie Bergeron, CMP Fellow, Site Selection Solutions, Inc. and Chair, CMP Study Group Committee

As we celebrate the 75^th Anniversary of the Event Industry Council (EIC) in 2024, and 40^th Anniversary of the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Exam in 2025, there are exciting initiatives underway.  In September, the EIC deployed a major survey to 13,000 CMPs, the member organizations of the EIC, and many global business event stakeholders, which has been titled the Future Landscape Study.  The focus of the study is to examine how trends and issues are affecting our industry now and in coming years.

A second major project by the EIC has been the update to the CMP International Standards which are the basis for the CMP exam.  This work is being completed by hundreds of CMP volunteers and has been a multi-year project to better align the International Standards with the knowledge and skills needed in today’s competitive marketplace.  The new CMP exam, based on the updated International Standards, will be launched in 2025.

Amy Calvert, President and CEO of the EIC, reflected, “The CMP Competency Profile project, which began in 2023, is critical to identifying the knowledge, skills and abilities needed for global event professionals to maximize their strategic value to their organizations, in support of a relevant, equitable and sustainable industry.”  More than 13,000 professionals from 55 countries currently hold the CMP designation.

The EIC has also announced a new Events Industry Council Manual, 10^th edition, which will be published in early 2025.  The new manual combined with the updated CMP exam will enhance the focus on technology, sustainability, strategic event management, in addition to event design, project management and risk management.  On November 5^th, the EIC unveiled a new website with many new features, including giving CMP candidates and CMPs ready to recertify the ability to search their education hours listed in their on-line profile by date, which is definitely an improvement.

MPI Georgia Chapter’s CMP Study Group Committee is excited to see these updates to the CMP program as well as the EIC’s news that there has been a significant spike in new certifications as well as recertification (required every 5 years) throughout 2024.  The CMP Study Group Committee will be conducting two Study Groups via Zoom in 2025.  The CMP Study Groups are available for MPI members and non-members.  For more information or to register for the Spring or Fall 2025 Study Group, please see the link below and reach out to Connie Bergeron, CMP Fellow, and Gregg Lauer, CMP, Vice Chair of the CMP Study Group Committee.
https://www.mpi.org/chapters/georgia/education-events/cmp-study-group