New Member Spotlight - Rob Brice

This month, we would like to spotlight Rob Brice. Rob Brice, CEM, recently joined Prestige Global Meeting Source (third party meeting and event planning company) as Regional Director of Sales, St. Louis. His focus is mainly corporate and incentive programs, and some association meetings.

Rob has been in the industry for more than 20 years, mostly running large trade shows both on the client and the vendor sides of the business. He obtained his CEM (Certified Exhibition Management) over five years ago and now wants to obtain his CMP.

Rob's first job after college was in Dallas, Texas as a customer service rep for a small general services contractor in the trade show industry. He learned how to operate meetings and events from the ground up. Years later, Rob moved into selling exhibit space and eventually managed trade shows for a B-2-B media company. Along the way, he moved to St. Louis and had been contracting out his expo management and meeting planning services. Rob is thrilled to have recently connected with Prestige and start sourcing hotels for his clients.

When asked what he likes best about his current job, he said, "I love making meeting planners' jobs easier by helping them source great destinations and properties. I also love discovering new and interesting destinations and bringing back information and recommendations to my clients and coworkers."

Rob has been an MPI member for only three months and already joined the Education Committee as EduCon sponsorship sales. He said, "Please answer when I call you - it's for a great cause."

Rob states that one of the benefits of his membership is the ability to meet his peers in the meetings industry in St. Louis and be of service to them. He says the best advice he can offer to people in this industry, "Join MPI and other trade associations in your industry and get involved, to the extent that you can, while still keeping commitments to your job. Add value to your volunteer role and start acquiring documentation for your certification (like CMP). Being certified gives you confidence in your abilities in so many ways. Always look for opportunities to add value to your clients, your employer, and in your volunteer commitments."

Growing up, Rob's father worked for Amoco Oil so the family moved every four years. He started high school on the north shore of Chicago, Illinois and finished in Corpus Christi, Texas. Rob is married and has two grown daughters. He likes to travel and so far this year he has been to Cancun, Santiago, Chile and Buenos Aires and off to Paris in August.

When you see Rob, please stop and welcome him to our chapter.