Meeting Professionals International has recruited 18 high-level meeting professionals — most from large global corporations and five who are not MPI members — for a new Executive Advisory Council.

The group, which will operate by conference call, has been assembled to advise MPI's management team on the needs of global meeting planners and what the association can do to make itself more relevant to them. “The council will allow us [MPI] to define our value proposition for them,” says Angie Pfeifer, CMM, chair of the Executive Advisory Council, immediate past chair of the MPI Board of Directors, and assistant vice president of corporate meetings, travel & incentives at Investors Group, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Global meeting planners' needs “are very different” from those of other members, Pfeifer says, and MPI wants to find out how to best support them going forward.

“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,” Pfeifer says. “This group has a lot of knowledge and a lot of reach.”

The Executive Advisory Council complements MPI's Industry Business Roundtable, a panel of executive suppliers who advise MPI on strategic business issues facing suppliers. It also parallels “co-creation and collaboration” efforts that MPI has made in the past 18 months with pharmaceutical industry planners and students to better understand their needs, Pfeifer says.

Members of the Executive Advisory Council:

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

Marcia Willett, CMP, senior director of corporate events, Ingram Micro

IACC Updates Tech Rules

The International Association of Conference Centers has updated its minimum technology requirements for member facilities. New elements include high-speed Internet access for all guest rooms and meeting rooms, as well as the following rules for conference rooms over 1,000 square feet in area:

• zoned lighting and controls that permit dimming

• at least one retractable projection screen

• at least one built- in, remote-input computer/video?image display system

• built-in voice reinforcement sound systems

• at least one microphone input point

• at least one set of in-room, sound-system controls

Calendar:

February 26

DMAI Destinations Showcase
Washington, D.C.
www.destinationsshowcase.com

March 29-31

Pharmaceutical Meeting Management Forum
Baltimore, Md.
www.meetingsnet.com

May 26-28

IMEX
Frankfurt, Germany
www.imex-frankfurt.com

June 21-23

FICP 2009 Education Forum
Colorado Springs, Colo.
www.ficpnet.com

August 23-26

NBTA International Convention & Exposition
San Diego
www.nbta.org

Sept. 29-Oct. 1

The Motivation Show
Chicago, Ill.
www.motivationshow.com