DALLAS - Feb. 12, 2004 - The economy may (or may not) be on the upswing, but whatever the case, it's no time to relax efforts to secure and develop new business. Meeting Professionals International (MPI) addresses this continually evolving issue in its third e-Merging Issues Online Web/audio conference, Wednesday, March 3, 2004 at 12:00 noon eastern/17:00 GMT.

"Prospecting for Business Gold" is a live, fast-paced, 90-minute seminar presented by MPI Chancellors Tony Carey, CMM; Ed Scannell, CMP, CSP; and Michele Wierzgac, MS, CMM. This program will provide practical steps meeting professionals can implement throughout their organization.

Participants will learn six ways to get more business; what markets are on the up, or as yet undiscovered; and the future needs of all markets. Time will be allotted for Q&A with the experts.

Accessing the conference is easy with a phone for audio and an Internet connection (dial-up or high-speed) for viewing slides on the Web. The cost to participate is USD$149 for MPI members and USD$199 for non-members. Multiple individuals can participate with a single registration fee. Registration is available at www.mpiweb.org/education/online_edu/emerge.asp.

Participants will have access to a published summary of proceedings and additional information on the topic following the conference. Continuing education units are awarded to participants who complete the post-session evaluation form on MPIWeb.

About MPI
Established in 1972, Dallas-based Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is the largest association for the meeting profession with 18,000 members in 64 chapters and affiliates. As the global authority and resource for the $102.3 billion meeting and event industry, MPI empowers meeting professionals to increase their strategic value with education, business growth opportunities and a clearly defined career development pathway. MPI is implementing Pathways to Excellence, its strategic plan designed to elevate the role of meetings in business via three core strategies: creating professional development pathways to evolve member careers to positions of strategic understanding and influence; educating executives about the value of meetings; and intensifying business opportunities for suppliers.