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Angie Pfeifer, CMM

PAST Pfeifer has been with Investors Group Financial Services Inc. for 25 years, having worked in meetings since 1990. Within two years of joining that department, her boss left the company. “At the time, senior management was considering bringing in someone else from our sister company in the short term to manage the meetings department until they replaced my boss. I asked them to allow me the opportunity to demonstrate what I could do, and if in three months they weren’t happy, they could find a replacement.” She got the job, and today her department consists of seven people.

CRED Pfeifer’s work has earned her a visible role in MPI, where she was  involved in the Corporate Circle of Excellence from 1999 to 2002 and has served on the international board of directors since 2002 and the executive committee for the past five years. She is also chairing MPI’s Executive Advisory Council, whose goal is to “identify resources that global meeting executives need in order to be successful in a changing industry.”

SUCCESS STORY In 1999—during her maternity leave—Pfeifer developed a business plan to consolidate corporate travel and meetings. “At that time, they were reporting to the CFO. I had to take the risk and demonstrate the value in consolidating the purchasing of meetings and allowing me to hire someone from outside the company from the hotel industry to assume that role.”

ADVICE “My success today is driven in part by who I am and my passion for this industry, but also that I took the time to think and lead.  Don’t wait for it to come to you—you make the outcome happen.”

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