MeetingsNet Editorial Director Betsy Bair (far left) and Corporate Meetings & Incentives Editor Barbara Scofidio (second from right) with the inaugural Spotlight Award winners (left to right): Lee Rubenstein, president and CEO, TBA Global; Cindy Bell, executive vice president, meeting services, TBA Global; Art Bone, performance solutions manager, ITAGroup; Rhonda Brewer, divisional vice president, Maritz Travel; Mary Bussone, senior vice president event management, ITAGroup; Brad Langley, president and COO, Creative Group; Fay Beauchine, president, engagement and events, Carlson Marketing Worldwide; Ron Officer, chairman and CEO, Creative Group; Steve O’Malley, senior VP & general manager, Maxvantage, representing Maritz Travel

At the 2010 CMI 25 reception, an event honoring the 25 largest and most influential corporate meetings and incentive companies in North America, the editors of Corporate Meetings & Incentives announced the new Spotlight Award, which recognizes outstanding achievement by a CMI 25 company.

At the reception October 12 in Chicago, during The Motivation Show, the first Spotlight Awards went to those CMI 25 companies whose leaders worked actively to fight against the negative perception of meetings and incentives in 2009. A handful of independent meeting management companies stepped up and stood up for the value of meetings and incentives to businesses large and small and to our economy. They took their message to the U.S. government, the general media, and the public.

The editors of CMI presented a Spotlight Award to Maritz Travel Co., Carlson Marketing, ITA Group, and Creative Group Inc., for their work on the board of the U.S. Travel Association. A Spotlight Award also went to TBA Global for its grassroots campaign called Keep America Meeting, which included a petition signed by 22,000 people in an effort to highlight the importance of the meetings industry to a healthy economy.

Each year, the editors will review the accomplishments of the CMI 25 companies and select one or more for their outstanding achievements.