Certified Meeting Professional Program (CMP) Celebrates 20th Anniversary

The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), a program of the Convention Industry Council (CIC) is celebrating in 2005 its 20th anniversary, and CIC will commemorate it with several promotional events throughout the year.

Established in 1985, the CMP program was developed to increase the proficiency of meeting professionals in key components of the meetings, conventions, and exhibitions industry; recognize and raise industry standards; and, increase the value of these practitioners to their employers and individuals to whom their services are provided. Today it is regarded as the premier certification program in the industry.

Over its two decade history, the CMP program has grown and evolved to meet the changing needs of the industry. The program, which expanded internationally in 1993, now certifies an average of 1,000 new CMPs annually.

In 2005 the number of individuals who have obtained the CMP credential will total over 10,000 in 26 countries worldwide. CMP Board Chair, John S. Parke, CMP asserts, “As more industry professionals achieve the CMP certification, the entire industry is enhanced through the sharing of best practices.