IACC and AH&LEI Develop Partnership with Focus on Education / October 2008

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IACC and AH&LEI Develop Partnership with Focus on Education
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St. Louis, MO, October 2008 �The International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) and the American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute (EI) are partnering to provide IACC�s members with targeted educational and professional development resources.

The mutual goal of the partnership is to build on the strengths of both hospitality organizations to provide significant educational opportunities for conference center operators and meeting planners. The Educational Institute will work with IACC to develop conference center-specific, customized materials, as well as reviewing current EI educational and training materials that could meet the needs of conference centers. IACC is also interested in working with EI to develop online learning and professional certification programs for its members.

�This is a win-win arrangement for EI and IACC, both of which share a strong commitment to professional development,� said Roy Kennington, CHA, EI�s president and COO. �We bring our half-century of expertise developing training and professional certification resources for all facets of the hospitality industry, while IACC brings a new perspective and a wealth of subject matter experts from the conference center sector to the table.�

With more than 350 conference center members around the globe, the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) represents meeting facilities that have met the stringent Universal Criteria for membership and are committed to providing the highest quality conference facilities and services around the world. Addressing seven key areas of hospitality, these standards are designed to provide a more productive meeting experience.

IACC�s global mission is to promote the conference center concept as featuring separate, distinct and unique places and services; to collect and distribute relevant industry information and trends; to provide and exchange of experiences among its members; to address common problems, needs and opportunities; to provide programs and services that assist members in operating more effectively; and to respond to the needs and interests of conference center users as determined by the Board of Directors.

According to IACC North America President, Neil Pompan, �This is a unique and exciting opportunity for IACC to continue to concentrate on education by providing cutting-edge educational materials with AH&LEI that are relevant to our industry and by working toward developing certification for Conference Center Professionals.�

For more information about the Educational Institute, visit www.ei-ahla.org. To learn more about the International Association of Conference Centers, visit www.iacconline.org.

Established in 1953 as a nonprofit educational foundation of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Educational Institute�s mission is to support AH&LA by becoming the preferred provider to the lodging industry, hospitality schools, and related hospitality industries both domestically and internationally by developing and providing quality resources to train, educate, and certify hospitality professionals.

Founded in 1981, the International Association of Conference Centers is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting understanding and awareness of the conference center industry and to providing member properties with the tools necessary to provide an exceptional meeting experience. Active members meet a set of stringent Universal Criteria and agree to a Code of Ethics. Currently, the association includes approximately 400 members from the United States, Australia, Canada, Denmark, Sweden, France, England, The Netherlands, Germany and Japan. For more information, visit the website at www.iacconline.org. IACC = exceptional meeting experiences.

Contact:

Elizabeth Johnson
Marketing Manager
517-318-2359
[email protected]
www.ei-ahla.org

James M. Mahon
Global Director of Marketing & Public Relations
914-548-5835
[email protected]
www.IACConline.org

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