In the past 18 months the Academy has witnessed significant moves for some of the nations major industry players. The MICE Academys new Advisory Board is delighted to honour those that continue to leave a positive indelible impression with many CPD points under their belt duly recorded by the MICE Academy:
Nellie Swart, CMP, was recently promoted to Senior Lecturer (Department of Transport Economics, Logistics and Tourism) at the University Of South Africa (UNISA). She will assist with the tuition of the different National Diploma, Post Graduate Diploma, Degree and Post Graduate Tourism Management programmes. Nellie (DCom candidate) together with her supervisor, Prof Gert Roodt (Head of the Centre for Work Performance, University of Johannesburg) received the outstanding paper award at the recent Pan Pacific Business Association Conference in Haikou, China. This award included a free registration certificate (US$ 1000) to attend the 3rd INBAM (International Network of Business and Management Journals) Conference in Lisbon, Portugal in 2013.
Mandy Barrell, CMP spent almost 12 years at the Gallagher Convention Centre coordinating helm made tracks to re-locate to the United Kingdom. The Academy witnessed the manner in which Barrell conducted herself through hundreds of booking enquiries, changing schedules and constant quotations. All her tasks were undertaken with professionalism and extensive communications between the various stakeholders. Perhaps her greatest asset was the way the personnel under her charge were encouraged and assisted to grow and succeed with confidence. It was a day of great sadness when Mandy bid farewell to Gallagher and, in particular, the personnel to which strong bonds had been forged. The future prospects for Mandy – back home in the United Kingdom – are exciting. The Academy will follow her professional path with much interest.
When Elaine Willmott CMP attended her first MICE Club Facility Management course way back in 2002 little did she realise the road those two days at the Leadership Development Centre managed by Eskom in Midrand would take her on. The Academy was privy to the challenges when Purple Hands, her event management services company was launched. Over the years Elaine travelled into virtually every corner of South Africa. Retained by MATCH in 2010 for the South African FIFA World Cup, Willmott took up an appointment with them in the United Kingdom for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil 2014. Since arriving in Britain she has travelled to the United States on an extensive site inspection trip which took her from Florida to Washington. In May this year, she assisted with the organising of the FIFA conference in Budapest. Following Brazil there may be Qatar and Russia on the horizon.
Cine Dunkley CMP undertook Gallaghers sales and marketing duties for many years. Countless clients became repeat business clients due to the pleasant and proficient sales techniques undertaken by Dunkley. Always helpful and willing to go that extra mile, the many hours she spent on member associations and special complimentary offers, provided on more than one occasion, can be regarded as highly admirable.
With well over 10 years growing a significant client data-base for her employer, Dunkley headed for greener pastures with her husband to set-up their own business in the English countryside. Her final South African CPD credits were earned at the MICE Focus Group on Superstitions & Site Inspections at the CSIR Convention Centre in April 2012.
