New President Promotes Work/Life Balance There's no doubt about who was the most well-received speaker at the 1999 World Education Congress of Meeting Professionals International, held in July at Philadelphia's Pennsylvania Convention Center. Eleven-year-old Christopher Simeone walked on stage during the first general session, faced thousands of attendees, and announced that he was taking a break from his paper route and golf practice to introduce his dad.
With hugs from his son and his wife, Joy, and applause from the audience, Edward G. Simeone, CMP, took the microphone and said that his goal as MPI's 19992000 president was to help members find a balance between their personal and professional lives.
"Personal imbalance threatens contentment, happiness, and, ultimately, productivity. My commitment is [to have] MPI focus on nurturing the whole person." Attendees responded with a standing ovation.
MPI attracted a record crowd of about 3,100 attendees from 26 countries. More people saw the two general sessions, which were carried live over the Internet.