Five Associations Professional Meeting Planners Need to Know
Have you recently entered the events industry and are looking for associations to join that will help you learn the tricks of the trade? Are you an experienced event planning professional and searching for new associations to become a member of? Either way, you wandered upon the right article! Joining a professional association will help take your career to the next level. Finding the perfect association might be a little tricky, but with these recommendations, we will help you find the best one or two for you to join. Follow along as we describe the five associations professional meeting planners need to know.
American Planning Association
With 40,000 members from 90 countries, the American Planning Association (APA) unites planning professionals in this ever-changing world. Diversity of thought is an important concept for the APA and is prevalent in their core values and strategic goals. The APA offers members innovative and practical approaches to different situations in the planning community. As the world quickly evolves so does the American Planning Association. Publications, blogs, podcasts, and videos can be found on their website concerning the various industry topics that are currently the most relevant. Members have exclusive access to a majority of the APA’s conferences and online classes. If you are searching for an association which boasts global connections and a diverse community of event professionals, look no further than the American Planning Association.
Meeting Professionals International (MPI)
As an event planner, your goal is to connect people with one another during their meeting, conference, or presentation. Members of Meeting Professionals International (MPI) are passionate about creating a space where their guests are able to freely network with one another during an event. One of MPI’s goals is to lead the world in education, networking, and innovative solutions to help advance and empower members of the event planning world. When you become a member of MPI, you will gain access to hundreds of hours of free education in the MPI Academy. Through these courses, you will gain skills that will help advance your career in the industry and acquire certificates or CE credits. These amazing resources are at your fingertips when you become a member of Meeting Professionals International!
Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)
The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) has over 8,400 professional and student members and 17 different chapters in 40 countries. If you are searching for a global event planning association, make sure you consider joining PCMA. Sixty-eight percent of PCMA’s members have at least a decade of industry experience, which means you could be networking and learning from some of the most successful event planning professionals. PCMA is passionate about their members and ensuring the most up-to-date industry information is available at any time. This association believes that it can help lead economic and social transformation through its members’ knowledge and ideas. Become a member of this established organization today and connect with people who will help mold you into one of the best professional planners and global citizens.
The Wedding Internationals Professionals Association (WIPA)
Are many of your events wedding ceremonies or receptions? Then Wedding Internationals Professionals Association (WIPA) is a group you want to join as soon as possible. WIPA is passionate about providing their members industry leading education through numerous networking events. This association is non-profit and is well-known for advancing the ethical standards in the wedding industry. WIPA has chapters across the United States and is hoping to expand to countries around the world. Some of the benefits of becoming a member include, but are not limited to: invites to attend all meetings, the ability to serve on the board and/or committees, access to WIPA education resources, and so much more. Memberships range from corporate elite, elite, and young leadership. The Wedding Internationals Professionals Association is a spectacular choice if you are regularly involved in the wedding industry.
The National Association for Catering and Events (NACE)
The National Association for Catering and Events (NACE) is a national non-profit for caterers and event planners. With more than 40 chapters and 3,500 members throughout the United States, NACE is a go-to resource for catering and event professionals. Members are continuously attending meetings and conferences to network with others and learn more industry-leading techniques, resources, and tools to leverage their careers or businesses. NACE provides education, certification, and a network of resources for caterers and event planners. You will be able to grow your career with NACE by attending their annual NACE Experience Conference, completing self-paced online courses, visiting the monthly virtual hangouts to learn more about industry best practices, or becoming a Certified Professional in Catering and Events (CPCE). NACE is a great resource to learn more about the event planning and catering industry.
We hope that you enjoyed learning more about these professional event planning associations and consider joining one that we listed or digging deeper into the many other associations. Whichever association you choose, you will enjoy having a community to network with and learn from throughout your career.
Author: Haley Thomas
Haley Thomas is a recent graduate from Saint Francis University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing, Strategic Communications, and Digital Media and a Masters of Business Administration. She is currently the Marketing and Events Manager at Vision Together 2025 in Johnstown, PA. As a freelance writer for Unique Venues, Haley is excited to be a part of the continued success of the company and assist the consistent progress with her SEO optimized articles for the company’s website and social media platforms. In her free time, Haley enjoys spending time with her family and friends and exploring the great outdoors through activities such as hiking and paddle boarding.