DALLAS, Texas, Sept. 28, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meeting Professionals International (MPI) announces the confirmed slate of volunteer leaders for its 2016 Board of Directors. Board member and officer selections are effective January 1, 2016, for the term of January 1 through December 31, 2016.
"The new slate of directors includes proven leaders within their own organizations and joins a group of dedicated and knowledgeable board members ready to drive and deliver extraordinary value to our members. These bold leaders will contribute to moving forward our global meeting and event community," said Mike Dominguez, chair of the MPI Board Development Committee and MPI immediate past chair for 2014-2015.
Fiona Pelham, managing director of Sustainable Events Ltd and Positive Impact, will assume the role of chair of the MPI Board of Directors. Pelham has been an active MPI member for ten years and previously served as president of the association's United Kingdom and Ireland Chapter. She was also a member of MPI's Corporate Social Responsibility Advisory Council from 2010 through 2012. Pelham is an avid sustainability champion, currently serving as voluntary chair of ISO 20121, a management system for event sustainability, and was recognized in 2014 with an honorary doctorate from Leeds Beckett University for her contributions to the industry.
"MPI is very fortunate to have such a distinguished group of volunteer leaders serving on our board to help drive the strategy for the future of our association," said Paul Van Deventer, president and CEO of MPI. "We know with this esteemed group of leaders, each board member's contributions will further strengthen MPI, benefitting our members and our industry."
2016 MPI Board of Directors – Officers:
- Chair: Fiona Pelham, Managing Director, Sustainable Events Ltd and Positive Impact, Manchester, United Kingdom (previously elected)
- Chair-elect: Brian Stevens, Chief Executive Officer, ConferenceDirect, Calif., United States
- Vice Chairman of Finance: Amanda Armstrong, CMP, Corporate Travel and Meetings Director, Enterprise Holdings, Inc., St. Louis, Mo., United States
- Immediate Past Chair: Kevin Kirby, The Kirby Consulting Group, Orlando, Fla., United States
2016 MPI Board of Directors – Members:
- Krzysztof Celuch Ph.D., CMM, CITE, CIS, HMCC, Assistant Professor / Vice-Rector, Warsaw School of Tourism and Hospitality Management; Head of Poland Convention Bureau, Polish Tourist Organization, Warsaw, Poland
- Angie Duncan, CMP, CMM, US Client Account Specialist, Touch Associates, Indianapolis, Ind., United States
- Annette Gregg, CMP, CMM, MBA, Vice President, Conferences, LPL Financial, San Diego, Calif., United States
- Anne Hamilton, Vice President, Global Travel, Disney Worldwide Shared Services, Lake Buena Vista, Fla., United States
- Gerrit Jessen, CMP, CMM, Regional Managing Director Germany, Austria and Czech Republic, MCI Deutschland GmbH, Berlin, Germany
- Michael Massari, Vice President of Meeting Sales & Operations, Caesars Entertainment, Las Vegas, Nev., United States
- Audra Narikawa, CMP, Vice President, Senior Manager, Travel and Meetings, Capital Group, Los Angeles, Calif., United States
- Kevin Olsen, President, One Smooth Stone, Downers Grove, Ill., United States
- Steve O'Malley, President, Maritz Travel, M &I Division, St. Louis, Mo., United States
- Ken Sanders, President, Freeman Audio Visual Solutions, Dallas, Texas, United States
- Courtney Stanley, Strategic Partnership Manager, EventMobi, Grand Haven, Mich., United States
- Marti Winer, Chief of Staff, Drew University, Madison, N.J., United States
About MPI
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) is the largest and most vibrant global meeting and event industry association. The organization provides innovative and relevant education, networking opportunities and business exchanges, and acts as a prominent voice for the promotion and growth of the industry. MPI membership is comprised of approximately 18,500 members belonging to more than 80 chapters and clubs in 22 countries. For additional information or to join, visit www.mpiweb.org.