Emeritus CMPs

Rick Reiners, CMP
New York, NY

Since joining the MPIGNY in 1985, I must admit I was somewhat skeptical of the CMP designation and wondered how it would help my career. Being with Delta for 30 years, doing all their familiarization trips and special events, I didn’t think I needed to be a CMP. In any case, when our wonderful chapter was offering classes to our members so that we could obtain enough knowledge to take the CMP test, I signed up. Since being out of school for many years, I felt a bit intimidated, but I persevered.

I found the classes extremely enlightening and learned much more than I expected about other facets of meeting and event planning that I wasn’t using at the airline. Had I known, my job there would have been easier. As you know, I passed the test and earned the coveted CMP status.

Over the years, it has been an enviable credential, in fact many times I have given prospective clients my card, and they’ll many times say “oh you’re a CMP” with an air of extra confidence in my work. Being a CMP may not have brought me business, I had to do that myself, but it certainly brings a trustworthiness, reliability, and assurance to the clients when they see CMP after my name.

Since retiring from Delta in 1993, I started my own meeting and event planning company, The Corporate Marketplace, and overnight went from supplier to planner. Things I learned in those classes many years ago, I still fall back on today and use all the time. One important thing I always remember to do is retain my CMP status.