Successful Meetings - July 2008 - (Page 33)

INITIAL SUCCESS CMP, CMM, CAE—Here’s what planners get from all those certification programs corrie.dosh@nielsen.com The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) designation was created in 1985 by the Convention Industry Council (CIC). Since then, the number and variety of professional certifications and designations those in the meetings industry can earn have blossomed, but what are the real benefits of earning one? Is a certified meeting professional better than the average event organizer? “My CMP is a personal achievement for me, one that shows my commitment to my chosen career, and hopefully shows others that I am dedicated to being the best I can be,” says Vicky Betzig, president and owner of Brookfield, WI-based Meetings Industry Consulting, adding that she prefers to work with other certified meeting professionals when possible. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that a CMP is a better planner (or supplier)—but that they learned a body of knowledge, demonstrated direct experience in 27 areas of meeting planning, and passed an exam,” Betzig adds. Planners generally point to the personal benefits achieved by going through a formal certification process. The extensive exams required by the organizations that offer such designations push even experienced planners to learn new parts of the industry, and the certification gives a boost to new planners entering the industry who are looking to build up a knowledge base. Here’s the lowdown on what these designations mean— and what they don’t. Education Roundup By Corrie Dosh BRANDING KNOWLEDGE For Gloria Nelson, Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP) and head of Winneconne, WI-based Gloria Nelson Event Design, certification designations tell the meeting planning community two things about the designees: “It’s a sign of personal commitment to professional growth, and it’s a symbol of accomplishment showing those we work with we have successfully garnered our respective designations,” she says. “It has not only enhanced how I am perceived by the marketplace, but has also opened up SUCCESSFUL MEETINGS JULY 2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Successful Meetings - July 2008

Successful Meetings - July 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
Industry Trends
Suppliers
Newsmakers
On the Record
Technology
Newsmakers
Calendar
Planner Spotlight
Management Matters
Meetings Law
Websites of the Month
Mouth for Sale
Pre-Event
On Site
Tools of the Trade
Pre-Event
Initial Success
Strong Medicine
Risky Business
Places & Spaces
Birmingham
Kentucky
Georgia & the Carolinas
Hong Kong
Melbourne
Gurus

Successful Meetings - July 2008