Mary Power, CAE, president of the Convention Industry Council, announced last week that she was stepping down from her post and “doing something I haven’t done in seven years: I’m taking a vacation.” Management Options Inc., the Washington, D.C.-based association management company that has the contract to manage the CIC, will continue to provide management, directed day-to-day by Jason Clawson, CEO of MOI. John H. Graham IV, CAE, chairman of the CIC and president and CEO of ASAE and the Center for Association Leadership, has appointed the head of a search committee, which “will lead a very broad search for her replacement.”

Power, who worked for CIC--an umbrella organization representing 32 associations in the meetings industry--when it was managed by Association Management Group before management moved to MOI last May, said last Thursday, “now is the time to make a move. My health is good, and I’ve left CIC in a very good position.” Power says she plans to remain in the industry.

A very good position, indeed. Power helped to build the Certified Meeting Professional program, CIC’s signature certification program, from 2,000 certified individuals in three countries in 2000 to 12,000 in 34 countries today. In addition, she oversaw the creation of APEX, the Accepted Practices Exchange initiative, which has developed voluntary standards for the meetings industry in order to create efficiencies and improve effectiveness.

Graham said Power would be honored and recognized at December’s Hall of Leaders gala, a signature CIC event that heralds the industry’s most influential professionals. That event will be held December 11 in conjunction with the annual meeting of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events in Las Vegas.

Graham has appointed Brenda Anderson, CEO, Society of Incentive and Travel Executives, to head the search committee, which will likely be filled with representatives of CIC’s executive committee and board of directors. He expects MOI and the search committee to come forward with two to three qualified candidates in the next 90 days; if it does not, an executive search company could be appointed. Graham said it could take up to six months to fill the position.

CIC has an evergreen contract with MOI, Graham said, which means it is renewed on an annual basis with a 90-day notice from either party.