Committees

Committee Responsibilities

The Advocacy Committee promotes the value of meetings through local grassroots efforts that are consistent with MPI meetings matter messaging. The committee gathers information supporting the value, importance and positive economic impact of the meetings & events industry. They create and apply context and significance to this data and disseminate the narrative to chapter members, non-members and the greater business community. The committee’s goals are to create increased engagement within the community, create increased awareness of important industry issues requiring attention or action, provides a reputable and authorized voice that informs news media and the business community with integrity and honesty. The committee will also facilitate and plan an advocacy education event in conjunction with the Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID) each year. 

Ricardo Hicks

Barb Dragan

Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE

Ginny Fountain, CMP, CMM

Christian Schroeder

Molly Johnson, CMP

Linda Ilsley, CMP

Committee responsibilities and goals:

The Awards Committee is charged with managing and facilitating appreciation for and recognition of the outstanding achievements of individual chapter members, and rewarding volunteer involvement on committees. Towards this end duties include spotlighting committee activity with member names in newsletter/website bi-monthly, developing a recognition tool for outstanding committees at each meeting on the Board’s recommendation. The Director is responsible for awarding the "Volunteer of the Quarter" Award to a non-board member for outstanding volunteer service quarterly. 

Another primary committee responsibility is furthering the visibility and value of meeting professionals within our chapter. Annual awards are given to members in recognition for outstanding service to the chapter in the following categories: Planner of the Year, Supplier of the Year, Hall of Fame, and Tomorrow’s Leader.

The Planner of the Year, Supplier of the Year, Hall of Fame, and Tomorrow's Leader Awards are given at MPI-CC's annual Awards and Installation Gala. Nomination forms are sent out to the membership in late March/early April with a deadline of mid-April for nominations. After a member has been nominated, it is the responsibility of the Awards Chair to send them a questionnaire to fill out and return; the Awards Committee grades the applications according to an established point system. The awards are based on MPI-CC service including International and Chapter participation; industry contributions and community service including membership/involvement in other organizations, articles written in the hospitality press, speaking engagements, and awards/professional recognition; professional/career advancement including professional designations; biographical information. Upon receiving either one of these awards, recipients are not eligible for consideration again for a five-year period.

Immediate Past President
Ricardo Hicks

Committee Chair

Committee Members

Committee responsibilities and goals:

The Education Committee is responsible for planning, scheduling and implementing the education sessions for each meeting. The Education Committee selects the topics and speakers for the main education sessions. The goals of the Education Committee include increasing attendance at each meeting and ensuring the speakers meet the members’ needs as measured by the post-meeting survey scores.

What will I gain from joining this committee?

• Speaker selection
• Content development 
• Theming education content and program

 Professional Certification Committee 

The Professional Certification Committee presents targeted educational programs aimed at CMP topics during CMP Retention and Informational Sessions. The committee’s goal is to increase the number of chapter members studying for and attaining the CMP, CMM, or CHME certifications. We form study groups and post information about the certification opportunities. Click here.

VP of Program Development
Cathy Carpenter

CMP Study Group
Tessa Barrier, CMP

Jessica Garrett, CMP

Education Committee Members

Caroline Grant, CMP

Karen Williams

Tammy Jeffries, CGSP

Maureen Donovan

Ebony Johnson

Committee Responsibilities

The Exhibits Committee's responsibility is to develop strategies to increase revenue and in-kind support for the chapter. We develop, implement and manage chapter fundraising efforts and events, as well as ensure promotion of our fundraising efforts. Our main fundraising event is the Carolinas' Business Exchange in September.

What will I gain from joining this committee?

• Creating a tradeshow from start to finish 
• Project management skills
• Dual sided member interaction
• Meet decision makers in marketplace 
  

VP of Finance
Seth Macchi

Business Exchange Chair

Christian Schroeder

Committee Members

Ariana Pearsall

Jackie Reid

Star Robertson

The Leadership & Volunteer Development Committee identifies, encourages and develops leaders within the chapter. The committee matches volunteers with chapter committees, manages the chapter’s volunteer roster, checks in with volunteers on their experiences, and plans and implements volunteer appreciation events.

Director of Professional Development

Jean Travers

Committee Chair

Chair Needed

Committee responsibilities and goals:

The Marketing Committee’s primary responsibility is to generate information and gather updates from other committees for the purpose of keeping the MPI-CC website full of fresh information. This committee will be in constant contact with other committees as well as the management office to bring the latest information to the chapter’s newsletter editor. In addition to the website, this committee is striving to promote MPI-CC’s achievements, both individual and chapter-wide, and bi-monthly meetings to the outside hospitality industry.

What will you gain from joining this committee?

• Project management skills
• Leadership and training skills
• Learn and implement social media engagement
• Learn the art of communicating to a team, committee and membership

VP of Marketing and Communications
Nicole Filippo, CMP

Committee Members
Melanie Mason

Ebony Loadholt

Committee responsibilities and goals

The Member Engagement Committee develops and coordinates member engagement efforts by assisting with volunteer opportunities, member care, hospitality and recruitment and retention membership events. Committee members are responsible for recruitment programs targeting members, developing and managing an on-boarding volunteer process, and support in identifying methods of retaining existing members via new or improved activities, communications, programs, and benefits.

VP of Member Engagement

The Immediate Past President shall chair the Nominating Committee. The remaining members of the Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the chairman and approved by the Executive Committee. There shall be no less than four (4) members including the chairman

Nominations - Petition Process. Once the Nominating Committee has developed a slate of nominees for election from all the Candidate Interest Forms submitted, the slate is to be mailed to the membership with instructions that additional nominations from the membership shall be permitted, provided a nomination is submitted in writing to the Nominating Committee Chair and is supported by a minimum of five percent (5%) of the official MPI-CC membership. The nominee must identify the specific person he/she is running against in the general election and must have already submitted a Candidate Data and Interest form to be eligible for petition. If no additional nominations are received, the ballot submitted by the Nominating Committee will be deemed elected by acclamation and will be installed at the Chapter’s Annual Meeting. If additional nominations are received, a ballot will be sent to all MPI-CC members for those positions having two or more candidates in contention. Deadlines for Candidate Submission Forms, mailing(s) to the membership and additional nominations will be established by the Nominating Committee. Chapter Board nominations and elections must be completed and submitted to MPI Global by March 1st each year.

Chair - Immediate Past President
Ricardo Hicks

Committee Members
Najauna White, CMP, CDE
Barbara Dragan
Christian Schroeder
Malinda Harrell, CMP, CASE
Amelia Hodges, CMP
Nicole Keshler
Alison Harding, CMP, CMM

Committee Responsibilities

The Publications Committee is responsible for producing The Carolina Blitz, the official news publication of MPI-Carolinas Chapter. The Carolina Blitz is published electronically six times a year and is sent to all MPI-CC members. It contains information about upcoming chapter meetings, educational presentations at meetings, news about MPI-CC members and their organizations, along with articles featuring a wide variety of topics of interest to Carolinas Chapter planners and suppliers.

Cathy Mauldin, CMP serves as Editor in Chief of The Carolina Blitz. Any chapter member may submit an article by contacting Cathy, and all MPI-CC committees are encouraged to appoint a liaison to the Blitz to report on committee projects and news.

Submission deadlines for 2023-2024 are:

• July 15, 2023 (Fall 2023 issue)

VP of Marketing and Communications

Nicole Filippo, CMP

Committee Chair
Catherine Mauldin, CMP

Committee Members

Committee Responsibilities

The Silent Auction Committee is responsible for: securing items for the silent auction that takes place during the annual chapter meeting, establishing minimum bids on all items, advertising prior to meeting, setting up auction tables, and ensuring payment from item winners.

What will I gain from joining this committee?

• Interaction with individual members
• Budget management skills
• Event promotion
  

Committee Responsibilities and Goals