FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE- November 28, 2006
CONTACT: Mary E. Power, CAE
President & CEO, Convention Industry Council
Phone: 202.429.8634
Email: mpower@conventionindustry.org

 

Apex's Education Advisory Council (EAC) Holds First Meeting

Washington, DC – November 28, 2006 – The Convention Industry Council (CIC) is proud to announce the launch of the APEX Education Advisory Council (EAC). The EAC held its first official meeting on October 25 and 26, 2006 at the Lodge at Ventana Canyon in Tucson, Arizona. The Council is comprised of educators representing two- and four-year universities, certificate programs, industry association educators, corporate trainers, online education, and association certificate programs. Its members include:

Richard Aaron, CMP, CSEP of BizBash Media, Chair of the EAC;
Stephen Barth of Hospitality Lawyer;
Deborah Breiter, Ph.D of Rosen College of Hospitality Management;
Beverly Bryant, Ed.D, C.H.E. of North Carolina Central University;
Tammy Christisen of ASAE & the Center;
Gary Hernbroth of Training for Winners;
Kari Knoll Kesler of Honeywell Meeting Solutions;
John Smith, C.F.E of Georgia State University;
Craig Snow, Ph.D of Cornell University;
Janet Sperstad, CMP of Madison Area Technical College;
Sue Tinnish of SEAL, Inc.; and
Carl Winston of SDSU Hospitality & Tourism Management Program.

The Education Advisory Council (EAC) is a part of CIC’s Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) initiative, which has established voluntary standards and best practices for the meetings, conventions, and exhibitions industry.

The Council is chaired by Richard Aaron, CMP, CSEP of BizBash Media. Terri Breining, CMP, CMM of Concepts Worldwide, incoming Chair of the APEX Commission, led the October 2006 meeting.
"The Education Advisory Council will be an essential part of the overall APEX implementation plan going forward. It will focus on providing turn-key educational programs for CIC member organizations and their members, as well as developing new curricula for academic institutions utilizing the APEX best practices,” Breining said.

By integrating APEX into training programs and educational courses throughout the industry, planners at all levels of experience concerned with keeping up with industry trends will learn about the efficiencies that come from using APEX best practices. Through college and university courses, beginners in the industry will learn to use APEX tools from the start, pioneering a generation of APEX-using industry members. The APEX best practices will also be included in many of the industry’s certification programs so that planners and suppliers can streamline their current practices into more efficient methods of conducting business at the higher levels.

"With the high-caliber individuals serving on the Council under the leadership of Richard Aaron, we will see impressive results, and will see APEX become a fully integrated part of the meeting planning process," commented Breining.

“I am both honored and excited to be a part of the new Educational Advisory Council,” said Kari Kesler, Global Manager of Honeywell International, Inc. “This group of industry leaders crosses many types of event planning, strategy development, instructional design and delivery, and execution. Our first meeting was focused on clearly understanding our charge as a team and developing specific action plans to drive industry-wide adoption of the APEX standards and tools. The members of the Council left energized and tasked with making a measurable impact toward education of all constituents in this dynamic industry.”

With the EAC underway and the recent release of Version 2.0 of the APEX Meeting & Event Toolbox by CIC, Breining, Chair Aaron, and other industry members are confident that the APEX voluntary standards will soon be the widely accepted practices by which the industry does business. Although the road ahead is long, the members of the EAC are enthusiastic and proud to be a part of such a revolutionary, global initiative.

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The Convention Industry Council’s 32 member organizations represent more than 103,500 individuals as well as over 17,300 firms and properties involved in the meetings, conventions and exhibitions industry. Formed in 1949 to provide a forum for member organization 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 Hall of Leaders Program, other CIC programs include the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Program, the Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) initiative, Project Attrition, the Prestigious CIC Cup, and the CIC Economic Impact Study. For more information, visit the CIC website at www.conventionindustry.org.