Ginny Fountain, director of meeting planning for North Carolina’s Electric Cooperatives, has received the 2017 RISE Award for Member of the Year from Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the largest meeting and event industry association worldwide. Fountain received the honor last night at MPI’s annual World Education Congress in Las Vegas.
The award is given each year to an exceptional MPI member who, through volunteer efforts, has made outstanding grassroots contributions and has demonstrated unparalleled commitment to the advancement of a chapter, club, community or region. MPI has more than 60,000 members spanning 19 countries.
“I am honored, humbled and still very surprised to receive this award,” Fountain told the crowd of more than 2,000 global industry professionals in accepting the award. “Being Member of the Year is not about me – it is about you. It’s a reflection of what I’ve learned through MPI and the connections I’ve made. You are all special, and you have all contributed in some way to me standing up here today. You taught me, pushed me, laughed with me, listened to me and showed me you care.”
Employees and directors of North Carolina’s electric co-ops know Fountain as the steady hand behind numerous statewide events throughout the year. Her work through MPI, however, has had global reach – during the past four years, she has volunteered on two global councils for the organization: The Knowledge/Professional Development Advisory Council and the Chapter and Membership Advisory Council.
Fountain has also served as president of the Carolinas Chapter for two terms, and she remains Publications Committee Chair and editor of the bimonthly Carolina Blitz magazine. In addition, Fountain has been involved with local chapters of Optimist International, Rotary International, Toastmasters International, the United Way and the Customer Advisory Board for the Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau, now known as Visit Raleigh.