DALLAS - January 12, 2001 - Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the global authority and resource for the meeting industry, has designated 43 meeting professionals as the latest recipients of the industry's prestigious Certification in Meeting Management (CMM) designation. The third annual class of MPI's Global CMM Programme will be recognized at the association's Professional Education Conference-North America (PEC-North America), January 21-23, 2001, in New Orleans, La.

The Global CMM Programme was held at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, August 20-26, 2000. To date, 159 meeting professionals worldwide have earned this highly acclaimed certification.

The CMM is designed for senior-level executives in the meeting, event and conference industry. The six-day residential immersion course curriculum addresses overall management issues and philosophies as well as industry-related subject matter from strategic and visionary standpoints. It is the first university-supported global professional designation for meeting professionals and includes an in-residency case study, an on-site written examination and development of a post-residency business project.

The following individuals are the most recent to attain the CMM designation: Sandy Biback, CMP, CMM, president of Imagination + Meeting Planners, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Kathleen Bock, CMM; manager of education programs, Celebration Health Education Center, Celebration, Fla.; Viola Boehm, CMP, CMM, regional vice president, HelmsBriscoe, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Additionally, Frank Boschi, CMM, director of market management, Association of Briefing Program Managers, Cedar Knolls, N.J.; David Callahan, CMP, CMM, manager of corporate promotions, Anheuser-Busch Companies, St. Louis, Mo.; Barbara Cummins, CMP, CMM, associate director of meeting management services, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Florham Park, N.J.; Joanne D'Agnese, CMP, CMM, director event management Northeast, KPMG LLP, New York, N.Y.; Bern Dayley, CMP, CMM, director of marketing, Sports Display, Lake Forest, Calif.; Peggy Eckert, CMP, CMM, conference manager, Mosby, St. Louis, Mo.; and Connie Eren, CMP, CMM, manager of purchasing, Event & Travel Operations, SAE International, Warrendale, Pa.

Also, Una Folkson Singh, CMM, manager of global customer interaction, Nortel Networks, Nepean, Ontario, Canada; Robert Franken, CMM, owner of Anton International, LLC, Littleton, Colo.; Elliott Fredland, CMM, managing director of sales & marketing, Exhibitgroup/Giltspur, Roselle, Ill.; John Gass, CMP, CMM, director of corporate events, Global Crossing, Beverly Hills, Calif.

Also earning the CMM designation: Laura Goodrich, CMM, manager of client programs, SCT Global Energy, Utilities and Communications, Columbia, S.C.; Janet Granger, CMP, CMM, manager of conferences, Center for Strategic & International Studies, Washington, D.C.; Kathy Hastings, CMP, CMM, manager of conference services, Kingsmill Resort, Willliamsburg, Va.; Paulette Heney, CMM, director of meeting & event planning, Bowling Inc., Greendale, Wisc.; Jan Hennessey, CMP, CMM, director of meetings & travel, Fireman's Fund Insurance Co., Novato, Calif.; Linda Hildesheim, CMP, CMM, senior meeting planner, IMS HEALTH, Plymouth Meeting, Pa.

Additionally, Camilla Jennings, CMM, deputy director, Swedish Travel & Tourism Council, London, England; Maureen Karon, CMP, CMM, global meetings manager, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, New York, N.Y.; Kathy Kelley, CMM, 2nd vice president of marketing & sales communications & promotions, Fortis Benefits Insurance Co., Kansas City, Mo.; Kathy Kennedy, CMP, CMM, CTSM, CME, meeting operations manager, Materials Research Society, Warrendale, Pa.; Peter King, CHSE, CMM, manager global special event services, Ford Motor Co., Dearborn, Mich.; Stacy Lee, CMP, CMM, director of corporate events, Visa USA Inc., Foster City, Calif.; Tony Lorenz, CMP, CMM, president, ProActive Inc., Chicago, Ill.; Rhonda Marko, CMP, CMM, president/CEO, Destination Nashville, Goodlettsville, Tenn.; Ann Mathias, CMP, CMM, event marketing manager, Tech Data Corporation, Clearwater, Fla.; Sandi McAdam, CMM, meeting planner, Innovative Medical Education, Paramus, N.J.

Others to attain the CMM designation include: Andrea McGrath, CMP, CMM, manager of conference services, Kraft Foods Inc., Northfield, Ill.; Kathy Miner, CMP, CMM, president, Bluesun Planners Conference & Consulting, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Susan Mulcahey, CMP, CMM, director of programs, Connecticut Technology Council, East Hartford, Conn.; Nancy Nachman, CMP, CMM, president, The Meetings Concierge, Scottsdale, Ariz.; Dana Nickerson-Rhoden, CMP, CMM, president, Square One Productions, Dallas, Texas; Meghan O'Neill Ruona, CMP, CMM, event manager, Certive, Redwood City, Calif.; Eric Rozenberg, CMM, managing director, Ince & Tive, Brussels, Belgium; William Sellmer, II, CMM, president, Innovative Meeting & Incentive Services, Mulberry, Fla.; Carole Smith, CIMP, CMM, principal, Meetings & Events Professionals Inc., Battle Creek, Mich.; Georgette Smith, CMM, meetings manager, American Society for Therapeutic Radiology & Oncology, Fairfax, Va.; Catherine Voron, CMP, CMM, meeting professional, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, Research Triangle Park, N.C.; Ed White, CMP, CMM, vice president, Christine Boylan & Associates, Philadelphia, Pa.; and Michele Wierzgac, CMM, CEO/president, Michele & Co., Chicago, Ill.

"It has been a remarkable experience to see these extraordinary individuals attain the CMM designation and MPI is very proud," says Stacy Riddler, MPI manager of professional development. "To date, we have 159 individuals worldwide in 14 countries with the CMM designation and we see it continuing to be the premier vehicle of industry education and training at a strategic level. We recently held a second program December 2-8, in Coventry, England, and we hope to see these individuals attain their CMM in the beginning of 2001."

At this time, some individuals who participated in the August 2000 program are continuing to work toward the CMM. "There are some individuals who need to do further coursework before they attain the certification. Once this is done, they will report back to us and to our reviewers and will be re-evaluated," notes Riddler.

The goal of the CMM is continued professional development, recognition and career success at a higher level and the CMM continues to move individuals in this direction.

Meeting Professionals International, with more than 18,000 members in 64 countries with 59 chapters and five chapters in formation, is the leading global community committed to shaping and defining the future of the meeting and event industry.