Southern African Association for the Conference Industry and Protocol Officers Association Join CIC

12/6/2011 9:08:00 AM

Two international membership organizations are the newest members of the Convention Industry Council (CIC). The Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI) and Protocol and Diplomacy International - Protocol Officers Association (PDI-POA) join 30 other organizations in the meetings, conventions, exhibitions and events industry that collectively make up the CIC.

“We welcome the SAACI and PDI-POA to the Convention Industry Council,” said Karen Kotowski, CAE, CMP and Convention Industry Council’s Chief Executive Officer. “These two distinguished members will strengthen the international presence and diversity of the Council.”

As a global organization, CIC supports an international network of professional societies and associations, providing new resources and tools, promoting standards and best practices, and creating a forum for collaboratively addressing industry issues. Participation from SAACI and PDI-POA is timely and will help expand the reach of current, international initiatives.

“In our continuing efforts to professionalise the conference industry in South Africa – and all its sub-sectors – our CIC membership will play an important role,” said Adene Pringle, SAACI General Manager. “I have no doubt that we will now see an increase in the number of CMPs in South Africa. This certification is widely regarded as the most authoritative indicator of professionalism in our industry.”

“PDI-POA is extremely honored to join the ranks of CIC,” said the president of PDI-POA, Chris Young. “Every single day, our members work with the highest level of leadership in the political, corporate, military, educational, and non-profit worlds, advising them on crucial matters of international protocol and cultural literacy. We also plan where they go, with whom they meet, where they eat, and where they sleep. Our work both overlaps with the mission of the CIC and complements our sister associations.”

Members of the Protocol Officers Association are professionals in the field of protocol who currently serve, or have served in the past, as protocol officers for any level of government, museums or cultural institutions, universities and colleges, corporations or international trade organizations. For more information, visit http://protocolinternational.org/.

The Southern African Association for the Conference Industry (SAACI) is dedicated to maintaining and improving the standards of efficiency and professionalism for the conference and events industry in southern Africa. For more information, visit http://www.saaci.co.za/.

Convention Industry Council