The Oregon Convention Center is delighted to announce that sales manager Monica Pea has recently earned the Certified Government Meeting Professional (CGMP) designation, the highest designation available that is specifically for government meeting professionals. The CGMP credentialing program, which is offered by the Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP), is designed for meeting planners whose work is governed by the rules and regulations of the federal government. Achieving a CGMP certification requires years of professional experience working with governmental organizations, education, and mastery of a demanding 4-day training and exam curriculum.
In her sales role, Monica manages the majority of the leads coming in from government organizations, and she feels that her preparation for the CGMP credential provided a wealth of practical knowledge and important insight into serving this large - and rather particular - events market. Monica says she's gained a more informed understanding and appreciation for the unique needs of these groups.
"Government planners must follow a very specific set of policies and regulations, and now I know a great deal more about why they ask many of the questions they do,” she explains. “I'm much better equipped to provide them with the answers and service they require before they will bring their event to our venue."
"Monica already established her standing as a meeting expert by previously earning her CMP (Certified Meeting Planner) credential," says OCC sales director Cindy Wallace. "She exemplifies the best of our industry, and adding the CGMP designation to her list of accomplishments helps to ground the OCC’s reputation as a preferred choice in the government meetings market. We couldn't be more proud to have her on our team."
Monica has distinguished herself in the hospitality industry over the past 18 years. She served as Director of Sales and Marketing for DoubleTree by Hilton Portland before joining the OCC sales department in 2015. She also currently volunteers as Vice President of Education for the Oregon Chapter of HSMAI, a global organization of sales and marketing professionals with a strong focus on education and identifying and communicating industry trends.
The Oregon Convention Center is owned by Metro and managed by the Metro Exposition and Recreation Commission. OCC is a LEED Platinum certified facility hosting groups from around the world and bringing millions of dollars into the Portland and Oregon economy.