Concepts Worldwide Inc., the Carlsbad, Calif.–based independent meeting planning company launched by Terri Breining, CMP, CMM, more than 21 years ago, is closing.

In a letter to industry colleagues, Breining said that the loss of several key accounts this year combined with the economic downturn “prevents us from remaining viable.” The company will shut down August 1.

“Closing the doors of Concepts Worldwide is bittersweet. I've had a remarkable journey,” says Breining. “Because the meeting industry mirrors the general flow of the business world, and because everything has slowed down dramatically, this is a very tough time to be in business of any kind, and most independents I know are struggling to make ends meet. The only segment that seems to be going strong right now is government meetings. Association meetings are also hanging on, although attendance at those meetings is much lighter than in previous years. That said, we know that business will come back, and we know that meetings will come back, and we know that different segments of meetings will fall in and out of favor.”

Breining expects to be part of the meetings industry’s future. “There is a bit of sadness [in closing the business], but I know that I'm not done in the meeting industry and I know that I'll continue to cross paths with the people I value. I believe I'll be able to continue to contribute to the next generation of planners.”

Education may be at the heart of the next chapter of her professional life. “Over the last several years, I've turned my focus to the more strategic elements of business and meeting management,” she says, “which has meant doing a lot more training—conducting ROI workshops, facilitating board retreats, performing audits of meeting departments, and serving on advisory boards. This seems to be the next step in my evolution.”

Breining has a remarkable resume to fall back on. She has served on the Convention Industry Council's Accepted Practices Exchange Commission since 2000, most recently as chairwoman, working to establish industry best practices and voluntary standards. She was Meeting Professionals International's International Planner of the Year in 2000 and chairwoman of the organization in 2003-2004. EIBTM honored her as International Personality of the Year in 2008, and she is co-author of the book Return on Investment in Meetings & Events. Concepts Worldwide was awarded the Professional Convention Management Association’s 2009 Spirit Award for community service.

Perhaps most notably, Breining will be inducted into CIC’s Hall of Leaders in January 2010. She will be one of five new inductees recognized for their significant contributions to the meetings and conventions industry.