For Immediate Release- April 14, 2006

CONTACT: Mary E. Power, CAE
Convention Industry Council
Phone: 703-245-8040
mpower@conventionindustry.org

CIC Selects New Management Company

McLean, VA – April 14, 2006 – The Convention Industry Council (CIC) is pleased to select Management Options, Inc. (MOI) as the new management company to provide infrastructure and expertise in manage CIC’s future direction, effective May 1, 2006. This option related to CIC’s management was unanimously approved by the CIC Board of Directors during the April Board Meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Management Options, Inc. (MOI) is an association management firm specializing in a business approach to non-profit management, as well as marketing and international development. For more than 30 years MOI staff has created, rebuilt and grown non-profit associations and businesses. Its IT System will take CIC’s Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Program to an online platform, resulting in an online application and registration process for over 11,000 CMPs world-wide. MOI will also accommodate CIC’s 8-person staff and allow for future growth. Meeting and exceeding each of CIC’s management criteria, MOI is focused on the future direction and success of CIC.

“The Convention Industry Council has long been a leader in setting standards for the convention industry. The continued advancement of APEX will benefit the convention industry nationally and eventually world wide. Also becoming increasingly global is the Certified Meeting Professional certification and we’re pleased to be part of this growth and expansion,” said Jason Clawson, President of MOI. “There are fantastic synergies between our organizations and this will be an amazing year of growth”.

Steven Carey, Ph.D., CAE, President of Association Management & Marketing Resources (AMMR), was hired to develop and manage the search process of management services for CIC. With guidance from CIC’s Executive and Selection Committees, Carey distributed a detailed Request for Proposal for management services to 22 association management companies, in addition to a “stand-alone” option. After a rigorous schedule of site visits and formal presentations, the Selection Committee carefully weighed its options and unanimously chose MOI. This recommendation was ratified by CIC’s Board of Directors, concluding that MOI will provide the best management expertise, support, staffing, strategic business advice and counsel to CIC and its programs including, the CMP program, and Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) Initiative.

"Throughout the search process MOI increasingly impressed the selection committee and the full Board of Directors with their integrity and eagerness to expand all CIC programs. With international offices, including Moscow and Singapore, MOI will be able to assist us in our continued global expansion of the CMP program,” said Thomas M. Mobley, Jr., Senior Vice President, Convention Centers of Global-Spectrum. “Their proven successes in product development will clearly be an asset as we continue the implementation phase of APEX throughout the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry"

To view CIC's contact information, effective May 1, 2006, Click here.

CIC’s 32 member organizations represent more than 100,000 individuals as well as 16,500 firms and properties involved in the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry. Formed in 1949 to provide a forum for member organizations seeking to enhance the industry, the CIC facilitates the exchange of information and develops programs to promote professionalism within the industry and educates the public on its profound economic impact. In addition to the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Program and the Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) initiative, CIC’s other programs include the Hall of Leaders, Project Attrition, the Prestigious CIC Cup, and the CIC Economic Impact Study. Additional information on the Convention Industry Council can be found at www.conventionindustry.org.

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