Antonio Ducceschi—recognized at WEC San Francisco as one of MPI's 50th anniversary "Legacy Contributors"—shares some of history with the association, in his own words.
My MPI story starts in 1994 in Ravenna, Italy, where, as a young hotel general manager, I was asked by the president of the MPI Italia Chapter, Nadia Colaiuda, to join an association which I never heard about.
I was a little skeptical at the beginning, but I soon became very passionate about the association and, in 1995, I decided to register for the very first CMM class in Denmark. In 1996, I attended my first MPI European Conference and, in 1997, I obtained my CMM certification.
In 1998, I received a phone call by the MPI Italia Chapter President Rodolfo Musco who asked me to join the MPI Italia Board as Secretary General. As he was one of the founders of the chapter, I could not say no.
Then, in 2000, when the president-elect Gabriella Ghigi decided to step down shortly before taking the president role, both her and Alan Pini—two long standing members—convinced me to step up and become president of the MPI Italia Chapter.
Now, 28 years later, I have attended 26 consecutive MPI European Conferences, I was on the Host Committee of three different European Conferences and I have been part of several European and International Committees, councils and task forces including the MPI International Board of Directors and the MPI Foundation Global Board of Trustees.
I feel that MPI has been my travel companion in my career, a professional home where I could always go to regenerate, gather new ideas, exchange with colleague and peers and find the right energy and self-confidence to move up.
MPI also had an impact on my personal life as, in 2007, I moved all the family to Luxembourg where the MPI EMEA office was located to take the job of director of global strategic accounts. Both of my older kids then grew up in a stimulating international environment and are able today to speak five languages, thanks to that move.
I am extremely grateful to this organization, I have given much of my personal time, but I have received a lot in exchange. I could not be where I am today in my career without all I have learnt, the great people I have met and the network I have created thanks to MPI!
