After transforming the Convention Industry Council from little more than an inert umbrella organization into the industry's driving force for change, Mary Power has resigned as president and CEO.
The seemingly indefatigable and perennially enthusiastic Power — who presided over CIC for seven years — is unanimously credited by industry watchers as the engine behind the explosive, worldwide growth of the Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) accreditation program and the completion of the Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) Initiative, a behemoth that Power inherited and furthered. Despite her obvious zeal for these and other efforts by CIC, she stepped down on May 25.
"There's no question that CIC would be nowhere without Mary," said former chairman and current board member Tom Bolman, executive vice president of the International Association of Conference Centers.
Under Power's stewardship, Bolman noted, the CMP program grew from "a tiny accreditation program for a few scattered people" to a designation held by 12,000 people in 33 countries.
Added another former CIC chairman and current board member Steven Hacker, president of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events, "Mary Power built the reputation of CIC worldwide. She is one of those unique people who have passion, commitment, and drive; she was tireless. No one is irreplaceable, but there aren't many people with all those attributes."
Power decided to walk away following a one-month leave of absence, which she requested due to an illness in her family. After having her own health scare a while back, she made it clear that she is now well and that her resignation is unrelated to the health issue. But Power said her time away from CIC gave her something she hadn't had in seven years: a chance to reflect.
"It gave me perspective. Even a race car can only go 180 miles per hour," she said, noting that everyone has a breaking point. "I love CIC, but I couldn't keep working 12- to 14-hour days, and I've gotten the organization to a good point to turn it over."
But an industry insider suggested that the decision was more of a mutual conclusion, contending that Power had been butting heads with Management Options Inc. (MOI) — the association management company that became the overseer of CIC a year ago — while lobbying for CIC's various initiatives.
"She was put between the two organizations, and when she said adequate resources weren't being deployed for certain CIC projects, she was essentially slapped down and became known as a troublemaker," the insider said. "It degraded to the point where it became obvious that there was little hope for a resolution."
MOI denies any conflict. Said Tom Rigsby, director of marketing and communications, "I haven't had any disagreement with her, and I don't know anyone who has. I haven't seen Mary for almost five weeks. A lot of us expected Mary to return [from her leave of absence], but she chose to resign." However, a three-day APEX meeting was held during the week of May 21, while Powers was still on leave of absence, according to Rigsby. She was expected to return the following week, after Memorial Day, he said.
Power insisted that she is leaving on her own accord. "Everyone likes to believe the worst; I felt I needed to leave."
Jason Clawson, president of MOI, is now handling the day-to-day management of CIC and putting together a transition plan and a job description for a new CEO. The association will definitely hire a replacement for Power, Rigsby said.
Meanwhile, CIC will stay the course that Power charted, said John Graham, the organization's chair, and the president and CEO of ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership. "The course she set is the right one. We'll continue to promote the CMP designation, and we're already working to get APEX implemented," Graham noted.
Power, who hopes to stay in the meetings industry, is already mulling several offers. "I won't be gone long," she said.
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