Meeting Professionals International Hosts IMEX Sessions
The organization drew nearly 3,000 attendees to Las Vegas for a day of intensive educational programming and industry fundraising.
Updated on Oct. 20, 2026 in Philanthropy
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Meeting Professionals International (MPI) hosted nearly 3,000 attendees at Smart Monday in Las Vegas, featuring 24 educational sessions totaling 26 hours. The event also served as a successful fundraiser for the MPI Foundation, which brought in over $700,000.
Why it matters
The program aimed to strengthen industry connections and foster career development while providing data on current professional trends. Insights shared reflect a broader industry focus on intentional event design and positive expectations for business growth.
MPI Foundation activities raised over $700,000 to support ongoing industry initiatives, contributing to more than $14.8 million distributed by the organization since 1984. Additionally, 61% of Q3 2026 survey respondents anticipate growth in live attendance.
The players
Meeting Professionals International
This is a global association for the meeting and event industry that provides education, networking, and professional development.
MPI Foundation
This philanthropic entity functions to support the meetings and events industry by providing grants for education and career advancement.
The details
Programming focused on essential industry skills including request for proposal management, experiential design, leadership, and accessibility. Fundraising efforts reached the target through a mix of silent auctions, golf outings, a dedicated dinner, and the IMEX Rendezvous party.
Timeline
1984: The MPI Foundation was officially established.
October 20, 2026: Smart Monday education day took place at IMEX America.
Q3 2026: Period covered by the Meetings Outlook research findings.
February 20-23, 2027: European Meetings & Events Conference scheduled for Galway.
June 28-30, 2027: World Education Congress scheduled for Las Vegas.
Market Landscape
This event serves to operationalize findings from the 2026 Meetings Outlook research series regarding future industry growth. It positions MPI to capitalize on the 73% of professionals who prioritize intentional design as a core business driver.
Industry professionals can expect increased access to specialized training as MPI plans to expand its Future Leaders Lab program globally. Attendees should prepare for these educational shifts by aligning their event strategies with the design trends identified in recent outlook reports.
The takeaway
The events highlight a strong emphasis on professional education as a means to drive business success in an evolving event landscape. Professionals can look for future opportunities to engage with these programs at upcoming conferences in 2027.
What happens next
MPI is scheduled to hold the European Meetings & Events Conference in Galway from February 20-23, 2027, followed by the World Education Congress in Las Vegas from June 28-30, 2027.
Further reading
For more on industry support initiatives, visit the Philanthropy section.
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Do you trust that in-person professional events will continue to see growth in the coming years?
