Meeting Professionals International (MPI) Foundation (MPIF) announced a landmark year for investments, with more than US$2.566 million raised towards the foundation’s goal to bring vision and prosperity to the meeting and events industry.
The moneys represent the most raised in a 12-month period by the MPI Foundation.
“We began the year with an aggressive goal and all agreed it would be an epic achievement to get there,” said Ken Sanders, MPI Foundation Chairman.
“In the end this challenge was met by an even more epic team of leaders like the Council and Board of Trustees, Executive Committee and the MPI Foundation team. The passion behind their collective effort led to the goal being accomplished above and beyond expectations.”
MPI Foundation investors contribute in two primary areas: Thought Leadership Initiatives (TLI) and Pioneer projects.
The TLI deliverables pave the road for the growth of the industry, delivering insightful and groundbreaking research, white papers, tools and knowledge for professionals. Pioneer projects make a lasting impact on the core areas of meetings and events business.
TLI is divided into the following overarching areas: Business Value of Meetings, Future of Meetings, Strategic Meetings Management, Quest for Talent and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
MPI Foundation recently secured two major investments from industry leaders. The donors are Freeman Audio Visual (US$250,000) and Gaylord Entertainment (US$250,000). The investment from Gaylord Entertainment specifically supports research and development for the Strategic Meetings Management initiative.
“Investors are not only our clients but also our partners, and thus crucial to the delivery of the research that influences our industry,” said Didier Scaillet, MPI chief development officer.
“Through their investment, companies like Freeman and Gaylord, who are at the forefront of their fields, continue to interface with meeting and event professionals globally by involving them in the future of our industry and providing them with relevant content and education.”
The successful launch of the Business Value of Meetings research study, funded through the Foundation by an investment from AIBTM, and the debut of the Sustainable Event Measurement Tool, funded by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and launched at WEC 2010 as a first in the industry and one that leaders have adopted as a model for environmental accountability, are two examples of the outstanding work produced through Foundation investments.
Additional investors in Thought Leadership Initiatives include: PSAV Presentation Services, Jumeirah Group and Omni Hotel & Resorts (Future of Meetings) and IHG (CSR).
