Certifications

Below you will find useful information to further your meetings career through the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) or Certification in Meeting Management Program (CMM)

Certified Meeting Professional
Benefits of Obtaining the CMP Designation
Upcoming Deadlines and Examination Dates
CMP Examination Locations
Qualifications for Applying to Become A CMP
Steps on How to Become A CMP
Preparation for the CMP Examination
Recommended Study Materials
Costs for CMP Certification
Arizona Sunbelt Chapter of MPI's CMP Study Weekend
Arizona Sunbelt Chapter's CMPs
Certification in Meeting Management (CMM)
Arizona Sunbelt Chapter's CMMs

Benefits of Obtaining the CMP Designation

• Authority to use the CMP designation on letterhead, business cards and all forms of address
• Receive a certificate attesting to your achievement and complimentary subscriptions to the informative quarterly newsletter: The CMP Update and the bimonthly CMP electronic newsletter.
• Recognition: your name will be released to the press and, if you wish, the Convention Industry Council will notify your employer of your CMP achievement.
• Professional Development: increased knowledge of all aspects of meeting management is gained during preparation for the CMP examination.
• Networking opportunity - you will become part of an elite group that shares this designation.
• The CMP designation offers a competitive advantage when soliciting business as either a supplier or independent planner. You have proof of your professional market knowledge.

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For summer 2008 Exam:

• Submit application with $225.00 fee by April 9, 2008
• Registration with $450.00 by June 11, 2008
• Examination scheduled for August 9, 2008

For winter 2009 Exam:

• Submit application with $225.00 fee by August 20, 2008
• Registration with $450.00 by October 15, 2008
• Examination scheduled for January 10, 2009

For summer 2009 Exam:

• Submit application with $225.00 fee by February 25, 2009
• Registration with $450.00 by April 22, 2009
• Examination scheduled for July 11, 2009

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The CMP Board evaluates applications shortly after each application deadline. The application is based on a point system. Points are awarded for meeting management experience, responsibilities and education. Additional points are accrued by having membership(s) in the professional meeting management organizations and making contributions to the profession. The application can be scored for self-assessment of sufficient points.

Basic CMP Requirements
To qualify as a candidate for the CMP examination, you must demonstrate a broad range of experience in the field of meeting management, including:

• A minimum of three years employment experience in meeting management.
• Current, full-time employment* in a meeting management capacity.
• Responsibility and accountability for the successful completion of meetings.

The certification program requires a two-step process in which applicant (1) demonstrates via a point system their broad range of experience in the field of meeting management and (2) successfully completes a written examination covering the functions performed in meeting management.

Eligibility to be seated for the CMP exam is based on a system whereby the applicant accrues points derived from actual experience in several aspects of meeting management. To qualify as an applicant, an individual must acquire a minimum of 90 out of 150 possible points. Points are assigned as indicated below within five specific areas of meeting management:

• Section I. Experience in Meeting Management - 35 points allowed
• Section II. Management Responsibility - 50 points allowed
• Section III. Education and Continuing Education - 25 points allowed
• Section IV. Membership in related Professional Organizations - 10 points allowed
• Section V. Professional Contributions in to the Field - 30 points allowed

Specific information for determining and reporting earned points in each area is included in the CMO Candidate Handbook and Application Kit.

Application Term

Applications are valid for a two-year period. The first step toward earning the CMP designation involves ordering and completing the CMP Application. The CMP Candidate Handbook and Application Kit contains over 20 pages of information about the application and examination process. Once a kit is purchased, the CIC provides prospective applicants regular reminder notices of upcoming application deadlines and changes in CMP program requirements or policies

1. Visit the Convention Industry Council website www.conventionindustry.org
2. Order the CMP Candidate Handbook for $35 from the CIC website.
3. Complete the CMP Application and return it to the CIC office by the application deadline, and include the $150 submission fee. The $150 submission fee is a nonrefundable fee.
4. Applicants can pay the application submission fee on-line with a credit card. The advantage of doing so is that the applicant has up to 7 (seven) calendar days from the initial application submission deadline to mail the completed application and all required documentation without incurring a late fee. The $150 submission fee is a nonrefundable fee. If an applicant submits credit card information on-line and either neglects to complete the process by submitting the actual application by mail or cannot earn 90 points or more on the application, the fee paid on-line will not be refunded.
5. An Application Submission Late Fees for a one-week extension of the published deadline is available on-line. Applications received by CIC after the original deadline must be submitted with a $75 late fee (total submission fee of $225).
6. Following notification of successful application, CMP candidates may register for the CMP examination by returning a completed registration form and $450 fee to the CIC office before the examination registration deadline.
7. Successfully complete the CMP Examination.

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The CMP Examination evaluates the skills and knowledge of meeting professionals. It is not something for which meeting professionals can cram. Candidates may prepare for the exam with a careful review of the practice of meeting management, either individually or as a part of a study group.

Candidates should review the major topics that will be included on the exam. These topic areas can be found in the CMP Blueprint, located in the CMP Candidate Handbook. The CMP examination contains questions covering a variety of functions a meeting planner must perform and the CMP Blueprint is based on these functions.

Click here for the current CMP Blueprint.

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• CIC Manual 8th Edition ($65.95 USD)
• CIC International Manual ($79.95 USD)
• APEX Glossary ($35.00 USD)
• Professional Meeting Management 5th Edition ($79.95 USD)

Click here to purchase the study material package at a member cost savings of $45.00

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$225 Candidate Handbook/Application Submission Fee
$450 Exam Registration Fee

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If you have any questions about the CMP Study Weekends in the future, please contact:

Laurel A. Zakula, CMP
Director, Real.Life.Style®

Avenue Communities, LLC
230 W. Fifth Street
Tempe, AZ 85281
www.avenuecommunities.com

PurVine Winery
425 N. 48th Street
Suite 108
Tempe, AZ 85281
www.purvinewines.com

623-670-1979 Direct
480-294-6301 Fax
LZakula@realLifestyle.com

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The Global Certification in Meeting Management (CMM) offers senior level meeting professionals the opportunity for:

• Education in strategic thinking and acting,
• A global certification and industry recognition,
• Potential career advancement,
• A networking community of other senior-level people.

You may already be a part of strategic management within your organization, or have the potential to be recognized as contributing substantially to an organization's bottom line. If so, the CMM designation offers you the potential to make substantial additional progress in this endeavor. It also offers you the prestige that accompanies having the most premiere, worldwide designation in the meetings industry!

By focusing on management issues critical to advancing in the meeting industry, the course can benefit all senior meeting and event professionals-whether you seek the prestige and career rewards that come with the CMM designation, or the training in senior management processes and inspiration that improve your strategic planning skills.

Through a four-step process, candidates progress deeper into strategic thinking and acting. These steps include acceptance into the program and successful participation in an educational journey through the following three aspects of the program:

Part I PRE-RESIDENCY - Active participation in an MPI learning group using technology; and various reading assignments;
Part II RESIDENCY - Attendance at an intense four and one-half day residency program in a campus- or conference center-like atmosphere with participation in a group case study and individual examination;
Part III POST-RESIDENCY - Completion of a post-residency business project.
Email aellis@mpiweb.org for more information or to register if accepted already
For more information, visit www.mpiweb.org/education/cmm/.

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Cathy Clifton CMP, CMM
Mary Dickinson, CMM, M.Ed.
James Fausel, CMP, CMM
Bobette Gorden, CMM
LoriAnn Harnish CMP, CMM, MAOM
Cathy Kostelansk, CMP, CMM
Dana McWilliams, CMM
Nancy Nachman, CMP, CMM
Patricia Pagliuco, CMP, CMM
Cara Tracy, CMP, CMM

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