Designed by CMMs for CMMs

By Rowland Stiteler | Feb 20, 2019

For 21 years, MPI’s Certificate in Meeting Management (CMM) has been the gold standard for experienced meeting professionals who wish to take their careers to the next level. Through the CMM, they develop skill sets to have standing with the C-suites of the corporate world and also have a universally recognized credential to confirm they are proficient in those skill sets.

The 1,285 holders of the CMM designation have such standing in the industry that it’s no surprise that when it was time for a periodic review and refresh in 2018, MPI reached out to the CMMs out there—all of them—for advice and feedback in crafting the enhanced program.

“CMM is an industry standard that has been developed by MPI specifically focused on executive education and the executive professionals, giving those in the industry something to strive for,” says Misty Helm, manager of global learning operations and academic partnerships for MPI and program manager for the CMM.

“As part of MPI’s ongoing efforts to keep the content fresh and innovative for senior meeting and travel professionals globally, we want to make sure that the CMM designation remains relevant, academically rigorous and future-focused. We will continue to refresh the content every few years to uphold the integrity of the CMM brand and the value of the education it comes with.”

Helm says that one of the starting points of the program refresh was conducting market research. MPI reached out to all of the CMM designees to ask their thoughts on how the process could be improved. From the 300 holders of the CMM who participated in the market research, a focus group was formed to offer detailed analysis of how the CMM program could be improved going forward. About 20 CMMs volunteered to join the focus group.

“I was thrilled that MPI offered our community an opportunity to participate,” says Angela Layton, CMP, CMM (MPI Tennessee Chapter), a member of the CMM Focus Group. “The team has worked directly with Indiana University faculty to vet the refreshed program design and make suggestions for improvement. I implore all MPI members to use your skills and voice to make an impact in our industry by becoming involved in opportunities such as this.”

Based on a set of defined criteria, Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, along with the Department of Tourism, Conventions and Event Management, was selected as the new academic partner. To add to the solid business curriculum that was already in place, the core of the program enhancements included a greater emphasis on meeting-and-event-specific content and an increase in contact hours, from 25 to 48, to commensurate with the university standard required to award three college credit hours. The timeline to earn the designation increased to align with the length of a college semester, allowing time for more student interaction, course content and an increased project scope and review cycle. The final project also expanded to align with higher education standards and now includes an increased page count, a presentation and an opportunity to share projects and receive feedback from faculty and peers.

These components were all added to better support CMMs on their professional journey and add even more credibility to the weight that the designation carries. With the addition of a new tagline, “Executive Leadership for the Business of Meetings,” the CMM equips designees with the necessary tools to communicate with the C-suites of their employers and prove their value in helping corporations and associations achieve success.

Dr. Robert Thomas Lenz, emeritus professor of management at the Kelley School of Business, Indiana University, is the faculty program manager for the CMM program.

“Now more than ever before, meeting professionals are faced with the challenge of earning ‘a seat at the head table,’” he says. “Central to this is the development of knowledge, skills and attributes essential for engaging in strategic conversations with senior-level executives. This is the primary goal of the CMM program, one that offers a stimulating and rewarding educational experience designed to accelerate the development of today’s meeting professionals.”

Those who have completed the CMM program call it transformational to their careers.

“When I completed the CMM program I could not have imagined the role it would play in advancing my business and my career as an event professional,” says Brent Taylor, CMP, DES, CMM (MPI Greater Edmonton Chapter), president and CEO, Timewise Event Management Inc. “It enhanced my credibility and provided me with the tools to think more strategically in business and event management. It gave me the confidence to move forward with my volunteer roles in the industry. I found myself stepping beyond my local chapter into international leadership roles, ultimately finding myself on MPI’s International Board of Directors.”

Prerequisites for acceptance into the CMM program include seven or more years of professional experience in the meeting and event or business travel industries, three years of management experience and two years of profit-and-loss responsibility. Aside from the experience-based requirements, there are no other prerequisites to apply. Once a person has earned the CMM designation, it’s theirs indefinitely, with no periodic renewal requirement.

Visit www.mpi.org/cmm for more details.

Start Your CMM Journey

The next Certificate in Meeting Management opportunity is March 24-28, 2019, in Indianapolis. The application deadline is Feb. 19, and the registration deadline is Feb. 22. Learn more at www.mpi.org/cmm.

Congratulations to the Fall 2018 CMM Cohort

Rowland Stiteler

Rowland Stiteler, a veteran meeting industry journalist, is a writer and editor for The Meeting Professional.

Designed by CMMs for CMMs

Start Your CMM Journey

Congratulations to the Fall 2018 CMM Cohort

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