PHILADELPHIA, PA – August 18, 2011 – The first true guidebook for developing strategic meetings management programs will hit shelves this August with the publication of Strategic Meetings Management Handbook: From Theory to Practice, published by Easton Studio Press and compiled by StarCite.

The new book is a revealing, in-depth look at the business dynamics and real world practice of meetings management. It features contributions from a host of meetings industry luminaries sharing decades of firsthand knowledge on how to build and execute effective and powerful strategic meetings management programs (SMMPs).

StarCite will showcase the book at the StarCite booth #1205 at the upcoming GBTA Convention in Denver, CO. A reception is being held to bring together the chapter authors at StarCite's booth on Monday, August 22 at 5:30 p.m. MDT.

"As companies increasingly aim to get a strategic handle on their investment in meetings and events, our sincere hope is that this book will be an indispensable resource that will help them every step along the way," said Editor Kevin Iwamoto, Global Leadership Professional (GLP) and Vice President of Enterprise Strategy for StarCite. "The profession of meetings management has come a long way since its early days as a new area of travel management. Today it is a thriving practice that is essential to business success. To that end, this book is focused on the 'art of the possible' – how to create an effective meetings management program whether it's in day one, year ten or beyond."

The mission-critical topics covered in Strategic Meetings Management Handbook: From Theory to Practice include:

• Implementing an SMMP – even without a corporate mandate!
• Combining business and meetings travel management
• Integrating meetings cards into SMMPs
• Maturing and growing an SMMP
• Risk management and meetings
• How to continuously improve an SMMP
• The best ways to leverage technology

AND EVEN…

• How to get holdouts on board!

With an average of twenty-five to thirty years of meetings management experience each, the contributors to Strategic Meetings Management Handbook: From Theory to Practice are at the pinnacle of the industry:

• Betsy Bondurant, CMP‚ CMM, Founder, President, Bondurant Consulting
• Louann Cashill, CMP, CMM, Global Account Manager, Strategic Projects, StarCite
• Carol Salcito, President, Management Alternatives, Inc.
• Linda J. McNairy, Vice President, Business Development, StarCite
• Kevin Iwamoto, GLP, Vice President of Enterprise Strategy, StarCite
• Mike Malinchok, CPC, President, S2K Consulting, LLC
• Amon Cohen, Specialist Business Travel Writer
• George Odom, President, Strategic Travel & Meetings Group
• Debi Scholar, GLP, CMM, CMP, CTE, CTT, and President, Scholar Consulting Group
• John Pino, Chairman, CEO, Founder of i-Meet and StarCite
• Andrew Menkes, CEO and Chairman, Partnership Travel Consulting, LLC

"I applaud StarCite for bringing together such a distinguished group of contributors to develop a resource on how to implement a Strategic Meetings Management Program," said Tim Reid, Group Publisher, The BTN Group. "It is a very valuable endeavor that can provide an additional resource for any serious travel program."

"In an industry crowded with disinformation and short-term technology fixes posing as long-term solutions, a handbook like this is long overdue," said StarCite President and CEO Greg Dukat. "Finally, there is a comprehensive resource offering real world strategies on how to put together the best SMMP possible, regardless of whether a program is just starting out or well on its way."

Strategic Meetings Management Handbook: From Theory to Practice is available for advance purchase in hardcover and e-reader format on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and from StarCite at http://communications.starcite.com/smmhandbook.html.

About the Editor of Strategic Meetings Management Handbook: From Theory to Practice

Kevin Iwamoto is a widely recognized business travel industry leader with more than twenty years of experience managing global corporate travel and meetings programs. He was President and CEO of the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) and the GBTA Foundation from 2001 to 2003, where he created and launched the GBTA Groups and Meetings Committee and cofounded the global Paragon Partnership organization, forging a relationship between the GBTA and MPI.

Prior to joining StarCite in 2008, Iwamoto spent over ten years at Hewlett-Packard, where as Senior Global Travel Commodity Manager he oversaw development, policy creation, strategy, and supplier management for various global travel spend categories over his tenure, including airlines, car rental, corporate and meetings card, meetings, hotels, and ground transportation.