Member Showcase- September 2022

Connie Bergeron, CMP  President   Site Selection Solutions, Inc

When I was invited to share my MPI story for September ReConnect, I was honored, and a bit overwhelmed. Having been a member of MPI for 42 years brought up many feelings. I combined many dear friendships with the challenge of balancing an incredible number of volunteer hours, with the ongoing desire to continue to make a difference for the MPI Georgia Chapter all in one article.  In 1980, while working in Charleston, SC, I joined MPI, however it was not until I relocated to Atlanta in 1983 that I was able to connect with one of the most vibrant and creative chapters of MPI, the Georgia Chapter.

The number of volunteer roles I have filled during my tenure as a member of MPI is too many to enumerate. However, I will recap just a few.

I kicked off as the sole volunteer for Membership Retention. I called each member personally to get their opinion on how the Chapter was doing, asked for suggestions on enhancing the Chapter, and then encouraged them to renew. Being the voice and heart of the Chapter for members who might or might not renew was a significant role that I was happy to fulfill for two years.

Challenge: how to further connect our members throughout the state. My committee, the Member Outreach Committee, designed a regional one-day workshop featuring the basics of event management held in Savannah, Augusta, Macon, and Columbus to expand educational opportunities for our members of MPI Georgia. This project likely ignited my lifelong passion for encouraging industry professionals to enhance their skills through quality education.

Benefits Start to Shine: one benefit of creating the regional workshops was that we selected Hayward C. Cox, Jr., CMP, to present the topic of Goals and Objectives for Meetings.  Hayward was a three-time Past President of the MPI Georgia Chapter and served over ten years on the MPI International Board of Directors. Hayward graduated in the second group with his Certified Meeting Professional (CMP)designation and continued to be a strong force of education, experience, and mentorship to so many. As I continued my MPI volunteer journey, he became a cherished mentor.

As an engaged and dedicated chapter member, I served one year on the Board of Directors and one year as Treasurer (an association management company did not manage us at the time.) I will never forget the day Hayward invited me to lunch, where he prophetically told me that, as Chair of the Nominating Committee, he was listing my name on the Board of Directors slate to be the 1990 -1991 Chapter President. My platform was already set in my mind to continue providing quality education for each of the ten monthly education luncheons, and happily, that vision became a reality.

As Chapter President, I created various positions such as the office of President-Elect, the Resume Library Committee to support jobseekers within our Chapter, and the annual Volunteer Recognition event, now known as the Phoenix Awards. If that wasn't enough, I also studied and passed the CMP Exam. A fellow member, now an executive with an international hotel brand, encouraged me to set an example for members to work towards the CMP designation. Her encouragement gave me the idea to create another committee dedicated to providing quality information on the CMP process and supporting CMP candidates in their exam preparation.

My CMP Study Group Committee team, Gregg Lauer, CMP, Vice Chair for more than 18 years now, Lesli Castaneda, CMP, Sandie Sears, CMP, Adriel Jones, CMP, Amber Dillard, CMP, Karen Ewing, CMP, and Neysa Crist, CMP, as well as many other CMPs who have served on the committee and have given their time and focus supporting CMP candidates, are all cherished.   All share the commitment to helping future CMPs realize their professional development goal. There are, as of today, 422 CMPs in Georgia, and I am delighted that our committee has assisted many of them in achieving their CMP designation. For more information on the MPI Georgia Chapter's CMP Study Group program, click here.   

Future years were filled with positions and roles on numerous committees, events, and activations. I held Chair positions for the External Public Relations Committee and the Curriculum Committee which was responsible for selecting topics and presenters for the monthly educational programs. This led to being Vice President of Education for two years. Each volunteer committee, in my 42 years as an active member, broadened my knowledge base, friendships, experiences and capabilities. These volunteer positions and functions influenced MPI Georgia's growth, creating an even more vibrant and recognized chapter.

In addition to Chapter volunteering, I served on the MPI International Awards Committee, the Chapter Relations Committee, and several others, such as coordinating MPI Georgia for the Hunger Walk, the Food Walk, etc. A highlight of my professional career was being nominated by a client for the 1995 International Supplier of the Year. It was a thrill when my name was announced at the MPI WEC held in Nashville, joining the ranks of others who were acknowledged and excelled as professionals and volunteers.

While President, The Hayward C. Cox, Jr. CMP Continuing Quality Award was created to recognize members who had graciously given a minimum of 5 years of volunteer service to the Chapter, the "unsung heroes", if you will, of the Chapter. It was named after Hayward C. Cox, Jr. CMP, with deep appreciation who always exemplified service to MPI International and MPI Georgia.  This award has evolved to be one of the most distinguished awards presented at the Phoenix Awards. 

The leadership skills achieved through volunteer service gave me the tools and courage to form my own company, Site Selection Solutions, Inc., in December 2007. I am grateful that the flexibility afforded through company ownership has enabled me to continue giving many hours as an MPI volunteer and to support the Chapter financially through numerous auction item purchases over the years, as well as donations to chapter causes, such as the “Nifty Fifty” our most recent idea.. For those of you who know him, and for those of you who don't, my wonderful husband Ron encouraged me to launch our company and has been so amazingly supportive throughout my 42 years as an active volunteer.  He is an amazing partner, professionally and personally. He shines when he edits my articles, compiled my International Supplier of the Year submission, evaluates my educational segments, and generally being a splendid and greatly appreciated co-volunteer during the four decades of marriage, we will celebrate on September 25^th

In 2014, when word of Hayward's death was shared, I found this note from a fellow MPI Georgia member. "Like you, I can still hear his laughter, feel his love of life and his deep affection for his friends. I was proud to be one of those; one of many. He was so influential in my career, not just in words, but 'meanings', which is an intelligence beyond language. To paraphrase Jeremy Taylor (Poet), "He that does a kind thing for a friend strengthens the golden thread which ties their hearts together."

My wish for each and every member of MPI Georgia Chapter is that you will find ways to "sharpen your saw," Stephen Covey's final principle in the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, that you will seek out ways to deepen your industry knowledge, find a mentor who will help support your personal and professional growth, and to develop your circle of trusted and cherished industry friends through MPI Georgia Chapter. It has been my privilege to precisely do that for 42 years.