22 meeting and event industry students from across the USA gathered in Miami, Florida, recently for the first ever meeting of a new North American Future Leaders Forum organised by IMEX in partnership with Meetings Professionals International (MPI).

The Forum cements an increasingly strong alliance between MPI and IMEX. They first joined forces in April this year when IMEX and MPI sponsored 30 European students to attend the Professional Education Congress (PEC) in Monaco. These students were subsequently flown out to Germany to attend the European Future Leaders Forum during IMEX at Messe Frankfurt, which welcomed a further 120 German students.

The Future Leaders initiative, which is part of the IMEX ‘New Vision’ campaign for the global meetings and events industry, focuses on nurturing and motivating young industry talent. The IMEX MPI partnership allows both organisations to build mutually powerful relationships with academic institutions, students and faculty members for the long-term benefit of the MICE industry.

A third Future Leaders Forum, in conjunction with IT&CMA and the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), already supports these efforts in Asia Pacific.

Each of the North American Forum students was handpicked from Universities and Colleges across the continent, including Richland College, Virginia Tech and the Cox School of Business; to attend the dedicated programme of interactive learning during the MPI World Education Congress. Feedback from those attending was both enthusiastic and appreciative.

Kimberly Hamilton, a Hotel Concierge and Richland College student, said, “I am more certain about my career choice as a result of having spent time with current leaders and hearing their stories.  I feel more at ease with my choice to venture into something more challenging. Prior to attending the Forum, I wasn't so sure.”

Seungwon Lee, a Hospitality and Tourism PhD student majoring in convention management and technology, said “I see there are big demands for research in this field. The meetings industry needs someone who understands both industry and academia and, given my experience, I will now strive to achieve that goal.”

Says Carina Bloom, IMEX Marketing and Operations Director, “As a worldwide exhibition, we are delighted to be part of this effort to bring students and professionals together from all over the world. We’re very committed to helping to develop the industry’s brightest young talent and to making the Future Leaders’ Forums an enduring success.”