Meeting Planning Academy™ Founders

Cathy Clifton, CMP, CMM President/Owner C2 & Company Meetings and Events 3370 N Hayden Rd. Suite 123 PMB 516 Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Phone: 480-874-1851 Fax: 866-858-5807 CClifton@meetingplanningacademy.com www.C2andCo.com

Cathy has been involved in the meetings industry for over 15 years, first as a meeting planner, then Director of Meetings Management at Maricopa Integrated Health System. She earned her CMP in 1996 and was named MPI's Planner of the Year in 1997. Then in 1998, she jumped at the opportunity to start her own meeting and event planning company and has enjoyed tremendous success ever since. C² & Company Meetings and Events has been consistently named one of the top 20 meeting planning companies by the Phoenix Business Journal and Today's Arizona Women Magazine. Ms. Clifton is also a Faculty Associate at Arizona State University teaching Special Event Management in the Fall Semester.

Ms. Clifton is currently a Past President of the Arizona Sunbelt Chapter of MPI, and has spoken at MPI's WEC and HSMAI Affordable Meeting Conferences. She covers topics such as Contract Negotiations and How to Close the Deal with a Seasoned Meeting Planner, RFP and Site Selection, and Starting Your Own Independent Planning Company.

Mary E. Young, CMP President & Director of Meetings M.Y. Events, Inc. 1208 E. Broadway Road, Ste 204 Tempe, AZ 85282 Phone: 480-968-7559 Fax: 480-968-7560 myoung@meetingplanningacademy.com www.mygolfevents.com

A veteran of the hospitality industry, Mary has worked in restaurants, hotels & resorts, tourism, professional sports and meeting planning for over 20 years. After graduating with a degree in Hotel & Restaurant Management from the University of Wisconsin-Stout, she began her career as a Corporate Trainee with Hyatt Hotels in Minneapolis. Following a move to Arizona, she worked at the Arizona Biltmore and Arizona State University as the Skybox Liaison for Sun Devil Stadium. She has also worked with the Scottsdale Plaza, Motorola, the State Bar of Arizona and National Speakers Association.

M.Y. Events was established in 1997 and has consistently been named one of the Top Meeting Planners by the Phoenix Business Journal. Ms. Young is a past board member of the Arizona Sunbelt Chapter of MPI. Her additional seminar topics include The Nuts & Bolts of Silent Auctions, Going Independent and Golf as a Fundraiser.