For years my Instagram feed was filled with vertigo-inducing posts from my friend Tara Hyer-Tira taking flight off the precipice of a staggeringly towering cliff during a high-dive competition. Fast forward to the present, and my former co-worker (yoga teachers, not divers—I’m terrified of heights!) now posts photos of herself in full makeup and regalia for the Cirque du Soleil show O, the water-themed Vegas extravaganza, also popular with groups.

While he’s known as one of the top meetings technology educators in the industry, a lesser-known aspect of Jim Spellos’ contribution to both the meetings industry and those with an acute need of nutrition is his efforts working with Rock and Wrap It Up!, an award-winning anti-poverty think tank.

Following a morning of intriguing sessions in its newly designed “village” format, MPI’s 2018 World Education Congress (WEC) wrapped Tuesday, June 5, with a rousing pep rally, show and luncheon, followed by a trip to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a bucket list-level closing experience.

There is still much confusion in the meetings industry following the May 25, 2018, implementation of the Global Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Bruce Smith, managing director of London-based Tenax Analytics, helped explain some of the intricacies of the EU and UK regulation and risks for planners and suppliers during his MPI WEC 2018 presentation: “How to Thrive in the New Era of Data Privacy: A Forensic Insight to the GDPR.”

Join Meetings Today and veteran meetings industry experts MaryAnne Bobrow, president of Bobrow Associates, Michael Owen, managing partner of EventGenuity and past chair of the Events Industry Council’s APEX Standards Committee, and Michael Dominguez, senior vice president and chief sales officer for MGM Resorts International, for this free hour-long video discussion captured at MPI WEC in Indianapolis.

Joan Eisenstodt answers additional questions from the 04.25.18 "Site Selection and Inspection: Hidden in Plain Sight" webinar.

Terri Woodin answers additional questions from the 04.18.18 Leveraging a CVB/DMO for Your Meeting webinar.

Meeting Professionals International (MPI) announced it will publish “The Essential Guide to Safety and Security: Best Practices for Meeting and Event Planning 2018” by the end of June 2018. In addition, the association will develop education, research reports and case studies based on the guide’s recommended practices, with launch plans slated for later this year and in 2019.

One of the hot topics at MPI’s WEC 2018 is sex trafficking, as it relates to the travel industry. Michelle Guelbart, director of private sector engagement for ECPAT-USA, detailed some of the signs and ways to help during her presentation “ECPAT: The Meeting and Event Industry’s Role in Combatting Sex Trafficking,” which took place on Monday, June 4, 2018. ECPAT-USA is a nonprofit organization that exists to end human trafficking.

During Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI’s) 2018 World Education Congress (WEC) in Indianapolis, we checked in with MPI President and CEO Paul Vandeventer for his take on this year’s show and how MPI is helping planners address major issues and excel professionally and personally.