Just weeks after receiving the Planner of the Year Award at the Georgia Chapter of Meeting Professionals International’s (GaMPI) annual Phoenix Awards, East Cobb resident NATALIE NARDONE added another plaque to her collection this Sunday when she accepted the Award for Tomorrow’s Leaders at the prestigious Meeting Professional International’s (MPI) World Education Congress Awards. 

“It is an honor to be selected as one of MPI’s Tomorrow’s Leaders Award recipients,” said a jubilant Nardone.  “I have always considered myself fortunate to be surrounded by so many outstanding professionals in the meetings industry.  These individuals have served as my mentors as I’ve progressed both professionally and personally. In an industry that has given so much to me, it’s naturally fulfilling to give my time and energies back and be rewarded in this way.”

Nardone, CMP, President of Nardone Consulting Group, a meeting management, association management and communications consultancy, has been an active member of GaMPI since 2002, and has been the recipient in past years of Convention South Magazine’s 2004 Meeting Planner to Watch designation, as well as GaMPI’s Rising Star and Shining Star Awards.  Additionally, she’s been instrumental in spearheading the organization’s branding efforts, speaks regularly at industry events and volunteers articles to GaMPI’s award-winning BreakOut newsletter.  Recently elected to the GaMPI Board of Directors, Nardone has also chaired several committees on which she’s resided and currently donates her time to the Education, Membership and Communications teams of the BreakOut, CMP Study Group and eConnect committees respectively.

Sponsored by Hilton Hotels, the MPI Awards recognize meeting planners and suppliers who are models of professional excellence and make significant contributions to the industry through specialized skills, attitude and leadership qualities. Award recipients are active at the chapter and international levels and are involved in industry and civic organizations. The Tomorrow’s Leaders Award is presented to an MPI member who’s made a significant contribution to the association at the international and/or local level. 

“We’re very proud of Natalie,” said Lance Hornecker, CMP, President of GaMPI.  “It is an honor, not just for her, but for our entire chapter that she received the Tomorrow’s Leaders Award. We’re looking for great things from Natalie in the future.”

About MPI
Established in 1972, Meeting Professionals International (MPI; www.mpiweb.org) is the largest association for the meetings profession with more than 20,000 members in 66 chapters and clubs. As the global authority and resource for the $102.3 billion meetings and events industry, MPI empowers meeting professionals to increase their strategic organizational value through education and networking opportunities. Its strategic plan, Pathways to Excellence, is designed to elevate the role of meetings in business via: creating professional development levels to evolve member careers to positions of strategic understanding and influence; influencing executives about the value of meetings; and ensuring MPI is the premier marketplace for planners and suppliers.

About GaMPI
With over 900 members, the Georgia chapter of MPI is currently the fifth largest MPI chapter in the world.  With an emphasis on professional development and enrichment, GaMPI offers educational and networking opportunities through retreats and workshops designed to enhance professional growth in the meeting industry.