Angie Duncan Callaway, Director, Intent Strategy Group, has been named one of Meeting Professionals International’s 50 Most Influential Members. Congratulations, Angie!
The MPI50 lists—which include Most Influential Members, Legacy Contributors, and Up-and-Comers—were created for MPI’s 50th anniversary and honor exemplary members who have made an impact and are leading the meetings and events industry to a better and brighter future. The winners were nominated by their peers and recognized at MPI’s World Education Congress (WEC) in San Francisco in June. They were also featured in the June 2022 edition of The Meeting Professional, MPI’s monthly magazine.
Inspiring—and Inspired By—the Industry
Angie is a member of the MPI Indiana Chapter and has been involved with the organization for over 28 years. “My MPI relationships guided and mentored me through job changes, International Board of Directors work, and introduced me to brilliant members,” Angie told MPI. “I wouldn’t have the strong career I do today without all those MPI friendships supporting me along the way and those networking skills I learned early on!”
We sat down with Angie as she shared her story and her dreams for the future of events.
Congratulations on being named one of the MPI50 Most Influential Members! For those unfamiliar, tell us more about MPI.
Meeting Professionals International is the leading association in our industry that provides education, a marketplace, and a true community for meeting planners and event partners.
What are you most looking forward to for MPI’s next 50 years?
The next 50 years… Wow. My heart is with Strategic Meetings Management—helping clients organize “the business of meetings.” My goal would be that most companies have an SMM Program in place to easily show the value and ROI events bring to their organization. MPI can be a resource and driving force behind this dream of mine!
What was it like attending WEC San Francisco? What were your biggest takeaways?
It’s been about four years since the last time I attended MPI’s WEC. For me, I took away such a feeling of rejuvenation. We are in the business of face-to-face meetings, and the reason why was so apparent. In the past, we took for granted being in a room with our industry colleagues and peers. No more! Everyone was so grateful to be having conversations in person. My major takeaways are that our industry is bouncing back at record pace and everyone is innovating to meet the needs of our customers and suppliers.
How long have you been in the meetings and events industry?
My whole career! I got into this industry because I wanted to see the world—and I’m so lucky that I have. I actually wasn’t one who fell into this, which is common in the industry. I went to college and found a very hidden degree called Tourism Management that had a certificate in Meetings Management. I’ve never wanted to change paths, either. This is the career for me!
What advice would you give someone hoping to join MPI or to start a career in meetings and events?
Get involved early! Not only join MPI but also get involved in a committee or some type of volunteer position. This is the time to try new things and learn about leadership with professionals other than your work peers. Find a mentor—it doesn’t have to be a formal relationship. Who do you look up to? Set a coffee connect with them to just learn about how they have moved through their career.
Tell us about your role with M&IW. When did you start and what is your current role?
I’ve been with M&IW for four years as the Director of Intent Strategy Group (ISG). We are the SMM and M&E Technology Consulting division of our company. I manage our super talented team of consultants who implement and optimize all areas of our client’s Strategic Meetings Management Programs. I oversee our projects to ensure they are exceeding our client’s expectations and ensuring their business objectives are met.
What is a new trend in strategic meetings management that you hope becomes an industry norm?
I would love to see small and simple meetings management become more prevalent and get the attention it deserves. There is so much invisible small meeting spend in an organization because the simple events are flying under the radar. Most clients want to get a handle on this but are struggling with how to do this while still seeing ROI. With one of our partners, Bizly, ISG worked to create this innovative, technology-enabled solution specifically to alleviate these challenges. Our new solution, Simplified+, weaves in existing event management and business intelligence systems to complete an end-to-end DIY solution and provides a compelling business case for the adoption of a new small meetings, technology-enabled solution.
What is something most people wouldn’t know about you?
Out of college, I worked for Norwegian Cruise Lines on the Seaboard ship for eight months. It was one of the best times of my life!
