About the Event
The annual IMPRESS awards are the MPI Indiana Chapter's opportunity to recognize the great achievements of our members. IMPRESS stands for Indiana Meeting Professionals Recognizing Excellence and Statewide Success.
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Meet the IMPRESS Emcee: William Gulley
William is currently the Managing Director at Perpetual Development, LLC a coaching, training and organizational design company. He recently was the Executive Director for Butler University’s Executive Education; the organizational learning and professional development arm at Butler University. William has presented and facilitated internationally on topics such as Dominant Logic, Senior Executive Leadership development, Human Centered Strategic Change Management, Organizational Alignment, Marketing and Finance, taught New Product Development in Butler’s Lacy School of Business MBA program as well as leading Butler’s team winning multiple Brandon Hall Awards for Corporate University Strategy and Skill Development.
Prior to joining Butler, William held executive and other strategic leadership positions for over 25 years in engineering, finance and operations with companies such as Navistar, Ford Motor Company, Brightpoint (now Ingram Micro), as well as being the co-founder in a private equity backed start-up, leading operations and finance in a high-growth biohazardous waste start-up and the senior executive of a medical device company. William has conducted the negotiations, due diligence and post-transaction integration efforts for acquisitions and divestitures across multiple industries.
William received his MBA in Finance from the Eli Broad School of Management at Michigan State University, his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University and an Executive Education Leadership Certificate from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.
Past Winners
Planner of the Year
- 2024 Melissa Higdon
- 2023 Rita Ramsey
- 2022 Ashley Harker, CMP
- 2020 Emilie Perkins, CMP, CAE, CMM, PMP
- 2019 Rokeena Williams, CMP
- 2018 Mandy Hazlett, CMP
- 2017 Vince Slack, CMP
- 2016 Emilie Perkins, CMP, CAE
- 2015 Stephanie Higgins
- 2014 Andrea Watson
- 2013 Katie Riggs, CMP
- 2012 Jaime Smith, CMP
- 2011 Stephanie Higgins
- 2010 Jaime Smith, CMP
- 2009 Bridget Williams
- 2008 Emilie Perkins
- 2007 Angie Duncan, CMP
- 2006 Scott Kerr
- 2005 Brian Hosier
- 2004 Tom Mauch, CMP
- 2003 Cathy Thuerbach, CMP
- 2002 Brenda Reed, CMP
- 2001 Abby Mallon, CMP
- 2000 Monica Woods, CMP
- 1999 Christy Hall, CMP
- 1998 Mandy Moore, CMP
- 1997 Veronica McGlothan, CMP
- 1996 Sherrie A. Mills, CMP
- 1995 James P. Tinsley, CAE
- 1994 Lois Vining, CMP
Event of the Year
This award was previously called Pinnacle and was split between a variety of categories including Best Overall Event, Best Corporate and Best Association.
- 2024 Visit Indy
- 2023 Corporate Housing Providers Association
- 2022 Visit Indy
- 2020 Accent INDY, A DMC Network Company (Best Overall Event)
- 2020 Accent INDY, A DMC Network Company (Best Corporate)
- 2020 Kiwanis International (Best Association)
- 2019 The American Legion National Headquarters (Best Overall Event)
- 2019 Project Lead the Way (Best Corporate)
- 2019 Sustainable Events, LLC (Best Association)
Chapter Member of the Year
- 2020 Julia Spangler
- 2019 Stephanie Forsythe
- 2017 Leslie Blye
- 2016 Dee Haddad, CSEP
- 2015 Rokeena Williams
- 2014 Hannah Smith, CHA, CHT
- 2013 Kimberly Vicary
- 2012 Maria Meschi and Emilie Perkins, CMP
- 2011 Jenny Russell
- 2010 Heather Easterling, CMP
- 2009 Deann Patena
- 2008 Angie Duncan, CMP, CMM
- 2007 Deann Patena
- 2006 Jenny Russell
- 2005 Linda Adams
- 2004 Shannon Frank
- 2003 Michelle Smith, CMP
- 2002 Heather Wilkerson
- 2001 Kerri Begley, CMP
- 2000 Monica Woods, CMP
- 1999 Sabrina Valentine
- 1998 Betsy Dukes
- 1997 Deloris R. Gregory, CMP
President's Award
- 2024 MPI Indiana Education Committee
- 2023 Hannah Smith
- 2022 Kathleen Headington, CMP
- 2021 Dr. Virginia Cane
- 2020 Patrick Derksen
- 2019 Susie Townsend
- 2018 Sara Nash, CAE
- 2017 Maria Meschi
- 2016 Kimberly Hoffman, CMP, DMCP
- 2015 Jaime Smith, CMP
- 2014 Maria Meschi
- 2013 Carolyne Wallace
- 2012 Stephanie Higgins
- 2011 Rebecca Moreland Green
- 2010 Amanda Cecil, CMP
- 2009 Sara Nash, CAE
- 2008 Donna Jacobsen, CMP and Glenn Brooks
- 2007 Kerri Begley, CMP
- 2006 Fundraising Committee
- 2005 Education Committee
- 2004 Beth McGuire
- 2003 Cathy Thuerbach, CMP
- 2002 Veronica R. McGlothan, CMP
- 2001 General Hotels
- 2000 Beth McGuire and Virtual Meeting Strategies
- 1999 Jim Yarnelle, CMP and the Indianapolis Convention and Visitors Association
- 1998 Lois Vining, CMP
- 1997 Sabrina Valentine
- 1996 Deloris R. Gregory, CMP
- 1995 Sabrina Valentine
Pinnacle Award
- 2016 Rebecca Moreland Green
- 2015 Carolyne Wallace
- 2014 Kimberly Vicary, CMP, DMCP
- 2013 LeadingAge IN
- 2012 Super Celebration Site Columbus, Indiana
- 2011 Jodi Massey
- 2010 Debbie Brechtel
- 2009 Debbie Brechtel
- 2008 Samantha Robbins
- 2007 Jennifer Sheehan
- 2006 Rebecca Moreland
- 2005 Brenda Reed
- 2004 Shannon Frank
- 2003 Kerri Begley, CMP
- 2002 Kirby Kirkpatrick; Kristen Flowers, CMP and Veronica R. McGlothan, CMP
Green Venue of the Year
- 2013 DoubleTree by Hilton South Bend
- 2012 Gillespie Conference Center
- 2011 University Place Conference Center & Hotel
- 2010 University Place Conference Center & Hotel
Green Meeting of the Year
- 2012 Horizon Convention Center
DEI Excellence
- 2024 Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group, USA
Volunteer of the Year
- 2024 Sandy Allen, CMP
Supplier of the Year
- 2024 Sandy Allen, CMP
- 2023 Kathleen Headington, CMP
- 2022 Josie O'Donnell
- 2020 Nate Bennett
- 2019 Leslie Blye, CMP
- 2018 Christine Robinett
- 2017 Laura Rowe
- 2016 Angela Gaghan, CMP
- 2015 John Mellinger, CMP
- 2014 Kelly Robertson
- 2013 Jaime Smith, CMP
- 2012 Nancy Klingle
- 2011 Jenny Russell
- 2010 Jamie Flemington
- 2009 Jodi Massey
- 2008 Carla Monroe
- 2007 Linda Adams
- 2006 Betsy Dukes
- 2005 Jenny Russell
- 2004 Laura Kenny
- 2003 Shannon Frank
- 2002 Kimberly Nees
- 2001 Heather Wilkerson
- 2000 Dan Snow, CMP
- 1999 Michelle Smith, CMP
- 1998 Sabrina Valentine
- 1997 Betsy Dukes
- 1996 Kathy E. Ray, CMP
- 1995 Annamarie Englehard
- 1994 Dennis Horvath
Industry Impact Award
In 2023 this award was renamed the Industry Impact Award. It was known as Hall of Fame until 2013 and Lifetime Achievement until 2022.
- 2024 John Mellinger, CMP
- 2023 Dawna Money, CASE
- 2019 Gloria Kermeen
- 2017 Emilie Perkins, CMP, CAE, CMM
- 2016 Rebecca Moreland Green
- 2015 Angie Duncan, CMP, CMM
- 2014 David Leonards
- 2013 Pete Tinsley, CAE
- 2012 Sabrina Valentine
- 2011 Steve Kautzman
- 2010 Carol McCormack
- 2009 Kerri Begley, CMP
- 2008 Amanda Cecil, CMP
- 2007 Betsy Dukes
- 2006 Deann Patena
- 2005 Glenn Brooks
- 2004 Kim Wilkeson, CMP, CMM
- 2003 Carolyn Wallace
- 2002 Jim Yarnelle, CMP
- 2001 Beth McGuire
Jack Langston CMM/CMP Scholarship
- 2024 Anna Par
- 2022 Emily Wrinkle, DES
- 2020 Ashley Harker, CMP
- 2019 Andy Longo
Student Scholarship
- 2024 Leslie Conover
- 2023 Leslie Conover
- 2022 Aimee Albright
- 2019 Courtney Haler
- 2019 Karli Middleton
Miss MPI Indiana
- 2020 Jaime Smith, CMP
One to Watch/Emerging Leader of the Year
This award was known as Rookie of the Year until 2009 and then Young Professional of the Year until 2012 when it was renamed to its current name.
- 2024 Savannah Ayres
- 2023 Taylor Melangton
- 2022 Emily Wrinkle, DES
- 2020 Saliena Balos
- 2015 Tami Cornelius
- 2014 Abbey Stoutenborough, CMP
- 2013 Rokeena Williams
- 2012 Jesse Brothers
- 2011 Maria Meschi
- 2010 Courtney Shafer
- 2009 Natasha Long
- 2008 Missy Wiley
- 2007 JJ DeBrosse
- 2006 Susan Xioufaridou
- 2005 Linda Beckwith, CMP
- 2004 Donna Sheets, CMP
- 2003 Linda Adams
- 2002 Kristen Flowers, CMP
- 2001 Wendy Hensley
- 2000 Suzanne Coffey, CMP
- 1999 Heather Powell, CMP
- 1998 Amy Glass
- 1997 Bobbi Taylor
Venue of the Year
- 2016 Hyatt Regency Indianapolis
- 2015 Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza
- 2014 Horseshoe Southern Indiana
- 2013 Banker's Life Fieldhouse
- 2012 Mesh on Mass
- 2011 Crowne Plaza Indianapolis Airport
- 2010 The Chef's Academy
- 2009 Indianapolis Marriott Downtown
- 2008 Conrad Indianapolis
- 2007 Indianapolis Marriott East
- 2006 Forum Conference Center
- 2005 Mansion at Oak Hill
- 2004 Indianapolis Arts Garden
- 2003 Indiana Historical Society and Thomas Caterers
- 2002 Hyatt Regency Indianapolis
- 2001 Morton’s of Chicago
- 2000 The Marten House Hotel and Lilly Conference Center
- 1999 Sheraton Indianapolis Suites North
- 1998 Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse
- 1997 Marriott Indianapolis
Meetings Industry Leadership Award
- 2013 IMPI Education Content Task Force
- 2012 Indiana Hotel Lodging Association
- 2011 Bartha Audio Visual
- 2010 Indianapolis Marriott East
Honorary Organization Award
- 2009 IUPUI Physical Education and Tourism Management
- 2008 VMS
- 2006 Four Winds Resort & Marina
- 2005 Horizon Conference Center
- 2004 Presentation Services Audio Visual
- 2003 Markey’s Audio Visual