Pam Baker, CMP, CMP-HC, 37
Senior Manager, Sales, MCI Group Canada Inc., Toronto
What I do:
Most professionals excel in a specific area: production, sales, logistics, creative, strategy. I am a leader who fits into all categories, truly a “Swiss Army knife” of meetings professionals. I lead the corporate sales division, which includes three offices (Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver) and a DMC company. Annually, we manage 150-plus meetings and events in the automotive, financial, pharmaceutical and grocery industries, among others. My teams are routinely faced with making the impossible happen, and this includes during a global pandemic.
How I got here:
I have almost 15 years of professional event management experience in conferences, incentive trips, product launches and seminars across North America and internationally. I have worked in the corporate agency setting and on the client side. Late nights, jet lag, sore feet—I am the first to roll up my sleeves and not afraid to be in the trenches.
A specific improvement I’ve made:
I identified a need for, and developed, an internal resource on Best Practices in Hotel Procurement and Contract 101, which became a go-to for MCI’s new talent. I won MCI’s coveted “white knight” award as the most likely person to save the day.
Impressive stats I’m responsible for:
I was one of only two Canadians to obtain CMP-HC designation in the inaugural year of certification in 2013. I execute 170 events annually with 153 proposals completed. I have an 86% conversion to win rate over the past 24 months. Increased profit for corporate division by 5%. Increased client spending on significant projects by more than 10%. I have organized events around the world, from Hawaii to Italy, Whistler to Czech Republic in over 15 countries.
What I do outside of work:
I spend most of my time with my two boys and my husband. I volunteer with Events Industry Council on the committee editing and reviewing the standardized test question library for the CMP Exam. I am on the Board of Directors at my neighborhood local swimming pool. It is a unique nonprofit outdoor swimming club that is owned and operated by members only. I am also on the Parent Advisory Council at my son’s school. I love being outdoors, and our family is doing a challenge to spend 1,000 hours outside together in 2021.
Favorite vacation destination:
You will find me with my family at our cottage on the lake in Muskoka. My bucket list vacation plan is to ski and surf in the same day. When that day comes, I’d choose to stay at my favorite hotels: Four Seasons Whistler and Four Seasons Maui.
Favorite icebreaker line:
I often seek advice for a binge-worthy Netflix show. As a busy working mom, I have a long list of shows that I keep trying to check off. If the group is more outgoing, I like to ask people what animal they are most like. I am like a duck (especially onsite!): calm, cool, collected on the surface but fluttering my feet like crazy under the surface.
Travel hack:
I’ve been known to get away without ironing by using Downy wrinkle release spray and a hair straightener to fix a collar. And I always, always, always pack only carry-on luggage.
