| October 2006 • Volume 26 • Number 10 • The Meeting Professional |
Cover story
Compiled by Angela Chiarello
Sally Goldesberry, CMP, CMM:2006 MPI International Planner of the Year
Sally Goldesberry, CMP, CMM, has been an MPI member since 1979 and is an ideal example of a meeting planner who evolved to become a strategic partner with her employer. As senior manager of meetings and exhibitions for Society of Petroleum Engineers, she manages a team of 10 and implements major conferences around the globe with up to 57,000 attendees.
On top of her professional responsibilities, Goldesberry has dedicated much of her personal time to MPI, its chapters and the growth and education of its members. She’s served on countless committees at the local and international level and is president of the MPI Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter. Goldesberry’s years of involvement, commitment and achievement led to her appointment as MPI’s 2006 International Planner of the Year.
The Meeting Professional: How did you begin your career in the meetings industry?
Sally Goldesberry, CMP, CMM: Like most people in this industry, I fell into it. I was working for the National Cattlemen’s Association as an executive assistant, planning travel for volunteer officer leaders. I then moved into the meetings department and a few years later I became the director of the department. I enjoyed working with our members and staff to develop and implement conferences.
TMP: What attracted you to MPI?
Goldesberry: I joined in 1979. MPI was growing quickly and I was in Denver. A colleague in the industry invited me to join MPI, and I immediately volunteered for a committee. I was interested in education. I was allowed to help develop education programs and network with others.
It helped that my employer was supportive of my MPI involvement and saw the value of my MPI membership. I was able to get information and learn new trends, then bring those back to my association.
TMP: How has your involvement in MPI helped you in your career?
Goldesberry: In order to produce the kinds of meetings and events that we do, meeting professionals have to develop partnerships with other planners, suppliers and contractors. Being a member of MPI gave me the opportunity to develop relationships that were integral to being successful in my job.
TMP: Who or what has been your biggest professional influence?
Goldesberry: There have been many people who have helped shape my career. My first executive director was very important and sent me in the right direction. He demonstrated the type of leader that I would someday aspire to be. I have had many mentors inside MPI and within my organizations. Finding a mentor is an important step in your career.
TMP: Those who recommended you for Planner of the Year remarked on your leadership skills. What, in your opinion, is a leader?
Goldesberry: A leader sets a positive example—walks the talk. I also think a leader has to be a team player. He or she may be the boss but still must be a team player. Ethics are a very big issue to me. Finally, being a motivator and a mentor is an important part of being a good leader.
TMP: Much of your MPI experience focuses on leadership development and mentoring. Why have you devoted so much time to this?
Goldesberry: I want to reach out and help people get to the next level. One of the most rewarding experiences is seeing someone I’ve worked with go on and be successful in another position. It’s a way to give back and also something I enjoy doing.
TMP: You’ve served MPI in dozens of leadership positions and on numerous committees and initiatives. Which one has been the most rewarding?
Goldesberry: One of my favorite experiences was chairing the International Chapter Relations Committee. Chapters are the lifeblood of MPI, and the association has done a lot over the years to give more recognition to the chapters. Working with the chapters and helping them be successful is very rewarding.
TMP: Where do you see the industry heading in the next decade?
Goldesberry: I’m looking forward to the meeting profession as a whole becoming more recognized as a profession. We need to continue to educate more people that are planning meetings at various levels in their organizations. Our profession has come a long way, but there is much to be done. Industry professionals need to work harder to bring more credibility and continue to elevate our profession. We’ve come a long way but there’s still room for growth.
Meetings industry organizations also play a big role in the future of the industry. Currently, there’s a struggle for which meetings organization can do the better job. I would like to see the leaders of those organizations and the industry as a whole collaborate more and elevate our industry together.
TMP: What can MPI do to cultivate greater involvement from its members?
Goldesberry: It’s imperative that we engage our younger members, and MPI needs to assist the chapters in doing this. The younger professionals have to get excited about the meetings industry and we have to engage them—our goal should be to develop programs that help them do that. Getting them involved is critical to the future of our profession.
TMP: What advice can you offer the next generation of industry professionals?
Goldesberry: Interact with MPI and its members—whether by attending the large conventions or chapter luncheons. Volunteer for small projects. Just get involved and take it one small project at a time. This will link you to the chapter and other planners and suppliers. If you want to grow in the meetings industry, that’s a great first step. TMP
ANGELA CHIARELLO is a freelance writer based in Dallas.
Barb Taylor Carpender, CMM: 2006 MPI International Supplier of the Year
Barb Taylor Carpender, CMM, has done it all. In her 30 years in the meetings industry, she has served on nearly every chapter committee, served as a member of the MPI Board of Directors and been instrumental in driving MPI’s strategic objectives. Her business, Taylored Alliances (formerly Taylored Training), her involvement in the MPI Rocky Mountain Chapter and her participation in other industry organizations center around strategic thinking, professional growth and development and industry advocacy.
Carpender, a longtime member of the hospitality industry and an MPI member since 1979, began work in hotels but was “bitten by the training and development bug.” Since then, she’s worked to move the meetings industry forward through her business and association involvement. She has worked tirelessly to educate planners and suppliers, and her efforts have helped lead the industry’s evolution. And at this year’s World Education Congress, she was honored as the 2006 International Supplier of the Year.
The Meeting Professional : You have been very involved in the Global Certification in Meetings Management (CMM) program—and have earned your own CMM designation. Can you describe the importance of the CMM program to you and to the meetings industry?
Barb Taylor Carpender, CMM: I had been an MPI member off and on for almost 20 years and was looking for an educational experience that would be personally beneficial. When I attended the first North American CMM program in 1998, I didn’t count on how profound it would prove to be—personally and professionally. The CMM business plan coursework was the foundation for what would become my own company, Taylored Training. Many of my closest MPI friends are people that attended both that program and subsequent programs through the years.
CMM is an opportunity for our senior members to network and learn on a level that is not available in any other MPI medium. And the success of the program is measured in the passion of the people who attain the CMM—just ask them!
TMP: After nearly 30 years in the industry and founding your own company, what do you think are the key drivers of your professional success?
Carpender: Curiosity and perseverance. Having a sense of humor. Acting as an agent of change. Helping to connect people, ideas and organizations.
TMP: What attracted you to MPI?
Carpender: MPI offers equal membership to both buyers and sellers. We are equal in both spirit and name—the same dues structure, the same opportunities to hold office, to voice our opinions and receive recognition. Equal opportunity has always been, and will always be, important to me.
TMP: You describe yourself as a champion of professional development, advocacy and strategic initiatives. Why is this so important to you and how has MPI helped you achieve your goals?
Carpender: I enjoy representing our industry in legislative matters and informing the public about the important role we play in a healthy and thriving economy. I’m passionate about MPI’s strategic initiatives—the projects and programs that support our members and the industry today and in the future.
MPI has been fertile ground for growing our industry both within our chapters and, in a broader context, internationally. I’ve been involved in many of these initiatives through my chapter leadership roles, serving on the MPI Board of Directors, participating in the first CMM program in North America, being a Platinum presenter since the program’s inception and my training and presenting as part of MPI’s ROI and Strategic Meetings Management initiatives.
TMP: Where do you see the industry heading in the next decade?
Carpender: I expect to see more consolidation between meeting and travel departments and outsourcing on the planner side and a resulting need for strategic account management on the supplier side. Additionally, both sides are caught up in a push for greater fiscal responsibility and true ROI, although we’re still caught up in trying to move that from merely being an acronym or buzzword to truly understanding what return on investment means to both our internal and external customers.
TMP: What role will MPI play in the industry’s growth?
Carpender: MPI is still viewed as a leader in industry education. That is a huge responsibility and we need to look at what that means for our constituency. Are we translating our members’ educational needs into the corresponding educational offerings? Are we looking outside of ourselves for strategic partnerships in education? Our industry is huge (the meetings industry being a part of the larger travel and tourism industry) and our members have a number of choices available to them for education including other industry organizations. How can we utilize and build on each other’s strengths?
Each of us, as MPI members, bears a responsibility to strengthen and build our industry so that individually and collectively we are working smarter with a map to the future—while still keeping an eye on the rearview mirror to learn from and acknowledge our past.
TMP: What can MPI chapters do to cultivate greater involvement from their members?
Carpender: Leadership development in our chapters is critical. Who are we choosing as leaders and why? This is always a challenge for any volunteer-driven organization. Our members’ time is compressed and addressing personal needs, business obligations and our chapter responsibilities often leaves us with a time deficit. Over-promising and then under-delivering needs to be addressed and managed as we develop our leadership. What exactly can we accomplish in the time available? How are members’ needs being discovered and addressed? What can we do as MPI leaders to stay engaged with both the strategic and tactical direction of our members and chapters? We already have a fabulous network for the sharing of best practices between members, chapters, countries and cultures—expanding and building on that through our educational and networking offerings will take us to the next level.
TMP: What advice can you offer to the next generation of industry leaders?
Carpender: Get involved! We’re always hearing that and it remains true. My career growth has come from rubbing elbows with the thought leaders in our industry—whether it’s a member that I sit next to at a chapter luncheon, someone I sat next to on a bus at an MPI conference or talking with the many friends I’ve made through my years of being an MPI member. Being open to ideas and ways of looking at mutual problems/opportunities can’t happen in a vacuum—it takes reaching out and allowing our circles to grow ever wider and more inclusive. TMP
ANGELA CHIARELLO is a freelance writer based in Dallas.
Betty Garrett, CMP: 2006 Marion N. Kershner Memorial Chapter Leader Award
MPI’s Marion N. Kershner Memorial Chapter Leader Award recognizes the local commitment of a chapter member in influencing the life of that chapter. Without a doubt, Betty Garrett, CMP—who received the award at MPI’s 2006 World Education Congress in Dallas—fits the bill. As chapter president, she guided the MPI Dallas/Fort Worth Chapter in 2001-2002 through the effects of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Through strategic planning and strong relationships, Garrett helped develop a leadership program and a job search/networking community for those seeking employment after Sept. 11, offered an online member needs assessment and increased the educational content of the chapter’s newsletter for better ROI.
Garrett started her own company, Garrett Speakers International, in 1993 and had a personal loss in 2004, but continued to direct and lead her chapter to exceptional results. How does she do it?
The Meeting Professional : Who or what has been your biggest professional influence?
Betty Garrett, CMP: My parents, and more specifically my mother, have been the most influential people in my life. Mom taught me I could do anything. My late husband Gene was also a wonderful professional influence. Gene was the next step and gave me the confidence.
TMP: What skills or attributes have been key to your professional success?
Garrett: You’ve got to have patience and tenacity—and you must be persistent. That’s where diplomacy and doing the right thing comes in. Add to that the three Cs—connection, contribution and commitment—and you have more than you need.
TMP: Why are connections so important to you?
Garrett: When my husband died two years ago, my MPI peers came over and took care of everything. They did the same thing in July when my father died. Where else—especially in a big city—can you find these kinds of connections and support?
Relationships are key to success or failure—personally and professionally. Without relationships you won’t make it.
I reach out and try to make a connection with everyone I meet. Once that connection is made, everything else falls into place. If you always do the right thing, no matter what, you establish priceless relationships that get you through the good and bad times. Because of my relationships, I had the support I needed to get my chapter through the hard times following Sept. 11.
TMP: You’ve been a part of several mentoring and future leader programs. How important is it to develop future leaders and how do you incubate a future leader?
Garrett: You’ve got to invite them to participate and join a committee. Most of the people I know just need someone to take an interest in them. The more involved they are, the more return they get. Involvement is key to ROI.
I’d like to see MPI put something in place to help chapters grow leaders. We can’t survive on past members. We have to have fresh eyes and a new way of looking at things.
TMP: What does it mean to be strategic and how can MPI move its members in that direction?
Garrett: You have to ask questions. You can’t be an order taker. There are too many order takers versus the people asking questions like, “Why are we having this meeting?”
We have to instill in our people the confidence they need to not be intimidated by the CEO. You have the expertise and the knowledge; go use it. You can’t do your job until you start asking questions.
I help my clients think strategically and go below the surface. I contribute to their bottom line by getting them out of their rut, asking questions and thinking strategically.
That’s what meeting professionals have to do: Ask the question why—or why not. MPI has to give us the industry trends, bring us up to date, spend the money, teach us and give us the confidence to ask the tough questions. Until we have the confidence, we’ll never be there.
TMP: What legacy do you hope to leave, personally and/or professionally?
Garrett: I want to be remembered as someone who can bring out the best in others and motivate them. It’s rewarding to help others achieve their goals.
I also like to have fun. I try not to get bogged down in the mundane stuff—if it’s not life threatening, move on. TMP
ANGELA CHIARELLO is a freelance writer based in Dallas.
Natalie Nardone, CMP: 2006 Tomorrow’s Leaders of MPI
Natalie Nardone, CMP, is no stranger to the limelight. Earlier this year she was named the MPI Georgia Chapter’s Planner of the Year, and in July she was honored with the Tomorrow’s Leaders of MPI award at the 2006 World Education Congress in Dallas.
After working as an association planner and in hotel sales, she founded Nardone Consulting Group Inc. in early 2005. You might think business and community involvement, along with a husband and their five feline friends, would keep her busy enough. But since joining the Georgia Chapter in 2002, Nardone has invested heavily in the chapter and the meetings industry. She served as the editor of the chapter’s BreakOut newsletter and this year ascended to director of publications. How—and more importantly, why—does she do it?
The Meeting Professional : How did your career in the meetings industry begin?
Natalie Nardone, CMP: Like most, I happened into it by chance. In college, I organized campus events like scholarship competitions. Never did I think this was an actual profession!
After graduation, I was working at an association when both of the meeting managers went on maternity leave. Faced with all aspects of the convention and education programs—including content, marketing and execution—I had a hands-on crash course of meeting management. After that, I was hooked. I enjoyed the people and the feeling of accomplishment when the event concluded, attendees left happy and I was left with excellent evaluations.
TMP: How has your experience as a planner and a supplier made you a better meeting professional?
Nardone: Sometimes there is this perception of planner versus supplier. Determined to learn about the “other side,” I made the planner-to-supplier switch. Not only did I learn what was important to a hotel or venue, as well as to its sales manager, I also knew from experience what the meeting planners were looking for. Anticipating their needs proved to be a great professional asset.
The most important lesson I learned, though, is that we’re all the same. We both want to produce the most outstanding meeting for the group as possible. Both parties’ successes hinge on clear, concise communication and dialogue. ROI is imperative—not just a buzzword. In order to achieve ROI, the planner and supplier have to partner.
TMP: You recently earned a master’s degree in information design and communication. How important is communication?
Nardone: The one thing required to be successful in our industry is communication. I don’t care if you’re a planner or supplier—it’s key to delivering maximum ROI to every client and marketing yourself and your company to the fullest capacity.
My mother always says you’ll learn more by listening than talking. Mom knows best! Communication is not only about getting your ideas heard. More importantly, it’s about listening and responding to what the other party is telling you.
TMP: Where do you see this industry going in the next 10 years?
Nardone: The industry will continue to grow, as will the need for professionals and experts in this field. More of our peers and colleagues will experience a true seat at the table. It will take hard work, passion and dedication, but I believe that’s where our industry is heading.
TMP: What role do you think MPI will play in that growth?
Nardone: MPI will steer the industry’s direction in the next decade. The success of MPI lies in the hands and minds of the countless volunteers that donate their time, resources and energies to the success of the association and its initiatives. MPI will continue to evolve at the direction of the membership and volunteer leaders.
TMP: What advice can you offer the next generation of industry leaders?
Nardone: Look at what you are willing to give and share within the association and the industry, and then at what you hope to receive. Make sure your actions are working toward these goals. Look for a mentor with a similar career path and who shares your goals. Consistently re-evaluate your professional and personal goals, as well as the ROI on your time. If it’s not getting you where you want to go, change your path. Remain optimistic, passionate and dedicated to the things that are most important in your life and maintain a good life/work balance.
TMP: Speaking of work/life balance, what personal message do you want to share with your colleagues and readers?
Nardone: Grab life and live it to the fullest. The time you have to spend with the ones you love and doings things you love is limited. Treasure those who are special in your life and don’t let a day pass with, “I wish I had,” or, “Only if I had taken the time…” Giving your most each day, professionally and personally, is an investment that always pays off. TMP
ANGELA CHIARELLO is a freelance writer based in Dallas.
Craig Raughton: 2006 Tomorrow’s Leaders of MPI
Believe it or not, Craig Raughton has only been an MPI member for three years. Shortly after becoming director of client development for One Smooth Stone, he joined the MPI Chicago Area Chapter and hasn’t looked back. He quickly volunteered for committees and took on leadership roles. In 2005, he received the chapter’s Rising Star award. When he came to Dallas in July for the 2006 MPI World Education Congress, he walked away as a 2006 Tomorrow’s Leaders of MPI award co-recipient.
Everyone has heard the advice to get involved and maximize MPI membership—but Raughton actually did it.
The Meeting Professional : How did you get started in the meetings industry?
Craig Raughton: By accident—I never knew it existed. Before joining One Smooth Stone, I was doing what I loved only about 30 percent of the time. I was looking for an opportunity to do what I love 80 percent of the time in a company with a culture I could get excited about. The meetings industry has been a wonderful surprise.
TMP: What attracted you to MPI?
Raughton: One of my colleagues recommended MPI to me. I was excited about the opportunity to shorten my industry learning curve and to have an instant network of industry friends.
TMP: In July 2007, you will become president of MPI’s largest chapter. What do you expect during your year as president of the MPI Chicago Area Chapter?
Raughton: My goal is to market MPI to everyone who will listen. People need to understand that if you are serious about growing, developing and making an impact in the meetings industry, an active MPI membership is a non-negotiable component to your career path and plan.
Our board and executive committee are extremely talented, excited and motivated. I am looking forward to seeing their amazing potentials realized. My only apprehension is that we become complacent, refrain from taking risks and fail to push the envelope of what an MPI chapter can look like and accomplish.
TMP: Has your employer been supportive of your MPI participation?
Raughton: I couldn’t maintain my involvement without their complete support and encouragement. One Smooth Stone believes in MPI and appreciates the impact MPI and the MPI Foundation have made on the industry. We want to support our local chapter and the association any way we can. We hope that the investment of our time and intellectual capital will leave a lasting impact on both MPI and the meetings industry.
TMP: In addition to your chapter involvement, you’ve facilitated breakfast roundtables at recent MPI conferences. Why did you volunteer for this role?
Raughton: Roundtables are an opportunity for collaboration and interactive learning. We all want to be lifelong learners and you never know where the next great idea is going to come from. Roundtables give you an opportunity to get to know a small group of people in the middle of one of the large international conferences. They provide a forum for people who wouldn’t typically engage in a large group setting to participate and share their thoughts and ideas. I also love the challenge of facilitating from a pure interpersonal relationships standpoint. I enjoy tempering those who would dominate the discussion while encouraging those who would characteristically remain silent.
TMP: What skills or attributes have been the key drivers of your professional success?
Raughton: My skills revolve around leadership, creative communication and equipping others. I believe the key drivers for any success I may have achieved have been my passion for relationship building and my desire to find innovative solutions to complex problems.
TMP: Your colleagues have called you true and a man of peace. How do these two characteristics impact your MPI and professional lives?
Raughton: Those are big words. I don’t feel like I have a handle on either of them, but they are two words I aspire to. I want to be true. I want to be the same person at home, at church, at work and serving within MPI. And I suppose if someone is really able to get a handle on that, the consistency will create an atmosphere of peace rather than confusion and chaos. I want to be a person of quiet confidence who contributes to those around me becoming better and more successful people. TMP
ANGELA CHIARELLO is a freelance writer based in Dallas.