Lynn Miles, CMP Fellow, is an adventurer. On her off days, you’ll probably find her ziplining, parasailing, skydiving, or taking it easy on a hot air balloon ride. But her off days aren’t where the adventure stops: her career journey is just as exciting.
“The hospitality industry was in my blood from the start,” she says. She began as a restaurant busgirl and hostess at 16, and from then on, she would explore all the industry had to offer.
After gaining a degree in restaurant and hotel management, she worked her way up the ranks in the hotel business at esteemed brands including Marriott, Hilton and Disney. She then set her sights on event management company APCO International; through all her work with DMOs, she was well equipped for her next move into a sales and supplier role with the Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. Today, she works as a sales manager with Ocean Center Daytona Beach, and, day-in and day-out, enjoys the vibrant convention, tradeshow and event management world.
The Importance of Mentorship
Miles became a CMP in 2004. At the time, she was with APCO International. On her very first day on the job, she met the conference and exposition director who would go on to become Miles’s mentor of many years. “On my first day of work,” says Miles, “she told me I needed to get my CMP.”
That sense of adventure lit up. “I started on the path to earning my CMP designation immediately,” Miles remembers.
Mentorship is an essential component of the CMP community. Not only do CMPs serve as mentors for their fellow colleagues and professional community, but many of today’s successful CMPs cite a mentor who made all the difference. Miles says of her own mentor, “She encouraged me to learn all I could about event management and supported my travel to attend full-day in-person CMP Workshops.
“Obtaining my CMP is one of the best pieces of career advice anyone has ever given me. Her leadership and direction have guided me through this wonderful 30-year journey.”
Becoming a CMP
For the next generation of CMPs, Miles offers this piece of advice: Don’t wait. “Get working on your CMP application process as soon as possible. Don’t put off the decision. Start to obtain the study materials.”
While imposter syndrome is real, and newer professionals may doubt their ability, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible; it’s a challenge and an opportunity—and to come out on the other end having pushed themselves, done the hard work and accomplished the goals is what sets CMPs apart.
“This designation does not come easy, and you will have to work for it,” says Miles. “Take the time to invest in yourself. You won’t regret it.”
The CMP Fellow
After 18 years as a CMP, Mills was a member of the inaugural class of CMP Fellows in 2022.
EIC established the CMP Fellows Program to distinguish CMPs who have advanced their careers and made significant contributions to the meetings and events industry through education and service.
When the new designation was announced, Miles remembers, “I realized that I met all the qualifications to apply. I was thrilled to learn that I would be selected as part of the inaugural class. It is truly an honor to be in the company of these incredibly successful leaders and pioneers of our industry.”
Miles says, “Being a CMP has always been a source of pride and dedication to my personal career growth. The CMP Fellow designation has solidified my commitment to continued education, to improving my work performance and to my personal goals.”
For the past three years, she has been a committee member of the IAEE Women’s Leadership Forum. She looks forward to seeing women in the industry continue to grow in confidence and authority, saying, “It’s exciting to see how women have been empowered to shape the events world. We are seeing strides towards equal pay and greater opportunity for higher level career advancement into C-Suite positions.”
Miles is an example of the fearlessness that drives the professionals in the meetings and events industry forward. Equipped with her adventurous spirit and dedicated passion, this CMP Fellow’s journey is nowhere near over.
Read More: Get to Know Ronda Keys, CMP Fellow
