Meeting Professionals International, the premier global association community for meeting and event professionals, believes in the unequalled power of events and human connections to advance organizational objectives.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Announcing The Meeting Professionals International Rise Awards – Recognizing Industry Success And Excellence
MPI Introduces Re-Vitalized Awards Program

DALLAS (August 10, 2008) – Meeting Professionals International (MPI) introduces the new awards program, MPI RISE Awards – Recognizing Industry Success and Excellence. The framework for the new program which is supported by the MPI Foundation is now complete. It allows for new recognition categories and criteria that better align with MPI's drive to build a rich global meetings industry community around human connections to knowledge, relationships and marketplaces. The first award, for Organizational Achievement, is schedule to be given at the World Education Congress in Salt Lake City in 2009.

Last September, MPI began revamping the award program to recognize exceptional performance and best practices within the context of MPI's new vision, mission and strategic objectives. This framework is the result of an extensive, collaborative development process led by a volunteer committee with significant input from our members. The development of this new awards program has been an exciting example of volunteer leaders, staff and members collaborating to operationalize the MPI vision. Members and chapters provided significant input via, re-imagination sessions, focus groups and more.

"During this exciting time for MPI, we have all collaborated to co-create this truly innovative new program and I am thrilled to be a part of the re-imagination process," said Hattie Hill, CMM, chairwoman, MPI Awards and Recognition Task Force.

In order to implement the highest quality program and build strong participation, MPI will phase in the new awards, beginning with the Organizational Achievement Award, presented in conjunction with the WEC 2009 in Salt Lake City. The full awards program will be presented in Vancouver, BC at WEC in 2010. The MPI RISE Awards – Recognizing Industry Success and Excellence – will feature seven annual awards in three primary categories- organizational achievement, individual achievement and community achievement.

For the first time, eligibility for some of the awards will be open to non-MPI members, enabling us to honor the best of the best-both inside and outside MPI. Other key changes include: an emphasis or transformational change, innovation, global transferability and industry impact and influence, and a streamlined, simplified submission process to encourage broader participation.

Additionally, MPI has created a Community of Honorees, which will be composed of all past MPI award winners, charter and life members, as well as past presidents and chairs. Through their continued legacy of excellence, the Community of Honorees will enhance the ongoing recognition and engagement of award winners. MPI respects their valuable insights to the value of recognition and foresees great collaboration in an effort to help champion participation.

Even though the community and individual awards are not scheduled to launch until later in 2009, everyone can still play an important role as a nominator for the organization awards. Help identify organizations doing exceptional work by letting MPI know about any transformational efforts experienced or heard about. An official submission can be made when the call for entries goes out in early 2009.

About MPI
Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the meetings and events industry's largest and most vibrant global community, helps our members thrive by providing human connections to knowledge and ideas, relationships, and marketplaces.  Total MPI membership is comprised of more than 24,000 members belonging to 69 chapters and clubs worldwide. For additional information, visit mpiweb.org.

About MPI Foundation
The MPI Foundation powers the vision of Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the meetings and events industry's largest and most vibrant global community comprised of more than 24,000 members representing 80 countries worldwide. Contributions from MPI members, chapters, and organizations are invested in high-impact programs to support a rich, global meetings and events industry and shape the future of the meetings and events profession.  For more information, visit mpifoundation.org.

Contact: Lauren Manford
Meeting Professionals International
(972) 702-3044
LManford@mpiweb.org

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