Certified Meeting Planner (CMP)- What does this mean? In 1985 the Convention Industry Council (CIC) created the Certified Meeting Professional title. A CMP has studied information in 27 areas of meeting planning and passed a test. This does not mean that the person is a better planner or supplier, but many feel a sense of personal growth after completing the course. These letters make other industry professionals aware that a level of knowledge has been reached, although many clients are not aware of what these letters mean. The CIC reports that in 35 countries, over 13,000 have received the CMP title.

More information about earning a Certified Meeting Professional designation can be found at www.conventionindustry.org.

Other industry certifications:

CMM- Certification in Meeting Management, www.mpiweb.org
CAE- Certified Association Executive, www.asaecenter.org
CEM- Certified Exposition Manager, www.iaee.com
CITE- Certified Incentive Travel Executive, www.site-intl.org
CSEP- Certified Special Events Professional, www.ises.com

Source: Successful Meetings, July 2008-07-10