Meeting Professionals International has recruited 18 high-level meeting professionals, most from large global corporations—and five who are not members of the association—for its new Executive Advisory Council. The new group is charged with making recommendations to MPI on initiatives that will make the association more relevant to globally focused meeting executives.

“MPI has sought out meeting executives from a diverse cross‐section of our industry, both from within our [MPI] community and from outside, to identify resources that global industry leaders need in order to be successful in a changing environment,” said Angie Pfeifer, CMM, chair of the Executive Advisory Council, who is the immediate past chair of the MPI Board of Directors and assistant vice‐president of corporate meetings, travel & incentives at Investors Group, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

With the Council’s help, MPI hopes to improve its programming for executive-level meeting professionals who have global responsibilities. The association also plans to share the EAC’s insights with its entire 24,000-member global community. The council’s first meeting is not yet scheduled.

The Executive Advisory Council complements MPI’s Industry Business Roundtable, a panel of executive suppliers who advise MPI’s chairman on strategic business issues facing partners and suppliers.

The members of the new Executive Advisory Council include:

  • Angie Pfeifer, CMM, assistant vice president of corporate meetings, travel & incentives, Investors Group;
  • Craig Ardis, CMM, director of global event management, Zimmer Inc.;
  • Christine Duffy, president and CEO, Maritz Travel Co.;
  • Ann Godi, CMP, MPI chairwoman‐elect, president, Benchmarc360 Inc.;
  • Joann Kerns, associate director of global meeting management, Bristol-Myers Squibb;
  • Patricia Kerr, BA, CMP, director of distribution sales support, Manulife Financial Corp.;
  • Julie Lindsey, director of corporate events, Gap Inc.;
  • Bruce MacMillan, CA, president & CEO, Meeting Professionals International;
  • Margaret Moynihan, CMP, director, Deloitte & Touche;
  • Carol Muldoon, CMM, director, meeting services, KPMG;
  • Camille Paluscio, CMP, manager, travel, meetings & events, Volkswagen Group;
  • Susan Paschal, vice president, event planning & community affairs, Equifax;
  • David Rich, senior vice president, strategic marketing, George P. Johnson;
  • Brigit Roeterdink, CMM, manager global strategic sourcing, Schering‐Plough, Netherlands;
  • Jim Sharpton, vice president, meetings & conventions, Primerica;
  • Jeff Singsaas, senior director, Microsoft Events, Microsoft Corp.;
  • Panos Tzivanidis, head of events and Sibos operations, SWIFT, Belgium; and
  • Marcia Willett, CMP, senior director of corporate events, Ingram Micro.